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In Brief
Operations Update no. 4; Period covered: 01 October to 15 November, 2007; Appeal target: CHF 6,272,038 (USD 5,356,138 or EUR 3,778,336); Appeal coverage: 90%; Outstanding needs: CHF 631,617 (USD 559,384 or EUR 383,074)
Appeal history:
Launched on 20 August 2007 for CHF 6,619,166 (USD 5,481,948 or EUR 4,074,586), for six months to assist 3.7 million beneficiaries
Operations Update 3 revised appeal and budget on 1 October 2007 for CHF 6,272,038 (USD 5,356,138 or EUR 3,778,336); for six months to assist 3.7 million beneficiaries
Operation Update 4 covers the operational period from 1 October to mid-November 2007
Final report is due on May 2008
Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF) allocated: 15 August 2007, for CHF 250,000 (USD 205,572 or EUR 153,355), and refunded
Operational Summary:
In early August, torrential rains and floods affected nine provinces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK Red Cross Society (DPRK RCS) mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers to evacuate and assist in the impending flooding, and immediately responded with relief supplies for those severely hit. The emergency appeal, which was launched on 20 August, aims at improving basic health care by providing emergency health kits, cholera kits, first aid kits and other medical items to selected health care facilities. It also includes chlorine to purify water for 22 counties, health promotion and education activities. Non-food relief items from the emergency stock were immediately distributed to 22,899 families. Work to replenish this emergency relief stock, which has proven effective in the relief effort, is underway.
Three days of additional rains on 18-21 September, with precipitation over 200 mm a day, aggravated the situation in the west part of the DPRK. According to quick assessments conducted by the DPRK RCS, an additional 2,000 families in 15 counties were left homeless and in need of assistance. The relief equipment that had just arrived at that time, which was originally to be used to increase the relief stock, was rapidly distributed to 1,649 families in 15 counties. The items included blankets, water containers, water purification tablets and kitchen equipment.
With aid coming in through different channels and a clear indication of the effects of the disaster on the country, the International Federation, in cooperation with the DPRK RCS, adjusted the appeal objectives and budget related to the health components of the relief operation. In consideration of the actual amount of interagency emergency health kits that could be procured in the global market in a timely manner and the early arrival of the Federation's regular medical supplies in the country, the appeal, originally released on 20 August, was revised on 1 October and adjusted to match actual needs, shifting its focus from drug supplies to refurbishing destroyed clinics and providing new basic equipment that was lost in this year's flood. The distribution of the regular medical kits has been completed and in parallel with the assessment of the needs of the health institutions, procurement is underway for medical equipment and furniture.
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
The DPRK Red Cross Society: Kim Un Chol (acting secretary general); phone: +85.02.381.4350, fax: +85.02.381.3490
Federation DPRK country delegation: Mr. Jaap Timmer (head of delegation); email: jaap.timmer@ifrc.org; phone: +85.02.3814350, fax: +85.02.3813490
Federation regional representation in China: Mr. Carl Naucler (head of regional representation); carl.naucler@ifrc.org; phone: +86.10.65327162, fax: +86.10.65327166; Mr. Qinghui Gu (regional disaster management coordinator), email: qinghui.gu@ifrc.org; phone +86 1391 0959 834, fax+86-10-6532-7166.
Asia Pacific Zone office in Malaysia: Disaster management unit: Mr. Latifur Rahman (regional disaster management delegate), email: latifur.rahman@ifrc.org; phone: + 60 3 2161 0892, mobile; +60 12 975 0144;
Regional logistics unit: Mr. Ilir Caushaj (regional logistics coordinator), email: ilir.caushaj@ifrc.org, mobile: +60 12 628 2707, fax: +60 3 2168 8573, or Mr. Jeremy Francis (regional logistics delegate), email: jeremy.francis@ifrc.org, mobile: +60 12 298 9752, fax: +60 3 2168 8573.
Federation secretariat in Geneva: Ms Ewa Eriksson (regional officer for East Asia), email: ewa.eriksson@ifrc.org, phone: + 41 22 730 4252, mobile: + 41 7 9217 3392, fax: +41 22 730 0395.