Food needed urgently for flood victims, OCHA says

Chad urgently needs food deliveries for at least 128,000 flood victims in 11 of its 14 provinces, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a `Situation Report' on 23 August. In addition to the 450 mt of cereals required, OCHA said, the government needed urgent supplies of medicines, tents, blankets and plastic sheets. "In order to allow the affected population to rebuild their homes quickly, hand tools are urgently needed," OCHA added. Heavy rains in late July caused the rivers Batha and Bahr Azoum to flood in this mostly arid country, seriously affecting Batha, Biltine, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac, Mayo-Kebbio and Moyen-Chari. As of mid-August, the Chad Ministry of Interior noted that 5,200 homes had been destroyed and at least 165,000 ha of agricultural land submerged, the report said. Livestock losses were put at 5,000 head. In Batha, the worst affected province, one-third of the 30,000 people in Ati, the provincial capital, were made homeless and most of the cereal stock was washed away, OCHA said. So far, the United States has contributed US $25,000 to the Chad Red Crescent Society. OCHA said it would serve as a channel to receive cash contributions for immediate relief and provide written confirmation of their use. Funds should be transferred to OCHA Account No. CO-590.160.1 at the UBS AG, PO Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland, with reference: OCHA -Chad - Floods 1999, the UN body said.