UNITED NATIONS  DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia

Introduction and Objective

After a long period of heavy rains in the central highlands, the rivers feeding the Koka Reservoir, mainly the River Awash, carried way above average amounts of water, bringing the reservoir dangerously close to its maximum capacity. In order to avert a catastrophic disaster on Thursday 22 August the authorities took steps to regulate the water level of the reservoir by opening the dam’s flood gates. Although this was apparently done in controlled intervals, the flooding of certain areas downstream was unavoidable. The first area to be affected was Wonji (some 10 kilometers south west of the town of Nazareth), where not only the population but also a large state owned sugar plantation was put at risk. Further downstream, critical locations include other plantations in the area of Merti, south of Metahara, and, in Afar Region, Buremodaitu-Gewane and Dubti. According to initial information given by the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC), by 23 August 35,000 people were directly affected by the floods while, overall, an estimated 150,000 people were at risk along the course of the Awash.

A UN inter agency mission (UNDP-EUE, WFP, UNICEF) was organised to undertake a preliminary assessment of the situation in the Nazareth-Wonji-Area. The mission participants were:

Mark Bidder (UNDP-EUE)
Joachim D. Ahrens (UNDP-EUE)
Mesfin Lemma (UNICEF)
Timo Pakkala (WFP)

Since DPPC staff were unable to participate directly, it was particularly difficult for the two day mission to find and visit the most affected localities in the area. The team therefore traveled in two cars and carried out the survey on 26/27 August.
 

General situation
 

• The handling of the present situation appears to be under control and for that reason the Government, supported in its relief operations by the armed forces, has not issued an international appeal. Nonetheless, the situation remains critical and, depending on rainfall patterns in the coming weeks, conditions along the river could deteriorate;

• The population immediately at risk is reported to be 150,000 - including 35,000 in the Wonji area downstream of the dam. No officials figures were available concerning numbers evacuated. One school in Nazareth is currently being used to shelter people and it was reported that other public buildings were being used as shelters. Some 300 tents were also said to have been deployed;

• Major efforts both with heavy machinery (bulldozers and dump-trucks) and by hand (filling bags with soil) are being undertaken in order to build and reinforce makeshift dikes. Airlift evacuation of stranded people was being carried out by army helicopters; also an army amphibious vehicle was participating in rescue efforts. Moreover, an unspecified number of light boats with outboard motors were in use;

• The DPPC is distributing food (e.g. biscuits, flour) and non-food relief goods (shelter material) to the affected population and apparently faces no logistic problems (transport, distribution);

• Assistance provided by NGOs to-date has included plastic sheeting, tents and water bladders given by Save the Children Fund (UK), biscuits and transport assistance from Menschen für Menschen, water pumps and bladders from Médecins sans Frontières (Holland and Belgium), three water truck/trailers and miscellaneous relief goods (biscuits, plastic sheeting etc.,) from CARE and 100 large tents sent by the Ethiopian Red Cross. Tents and other shelter materials provided earlier to the DPPC were also in use.

Late afternoon on 26 August the team visited a location 7 kilometers south-west of Nazareth, were the road to Wonji was interrupted by the floods and a makeshift dike was under preparation. Two trucks were seen stranded in waist deep water while in the distance, on the other "shore" of the flooded road, numerous people were waiting for rescue. The team was told by a member of the Adama wereda administration (the wereda of which Wonji is part of) that an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people in Wonji were isolated by waters since 23 August. Anecdotal reports indicated that in some places people were clinging on trees and staying on roof tops for three or four days. Attempts to rescue people came temporarily to a halt at the time of the visit since a dingy equipped with an outboard motor had capsized. Rescue workers successfully recuperated the motor. At the time the only army amphibious vehicle in the area was non-operational due to a breakdown. The wereda official confirmed that one army helicopter was operating in the area - but overall his opinion was that the amount of relief goods brought in as well as rescue and distribution means had been limited.

A second location, the water pump station which provides the water supply for Nazareth town about five minutes drive away from the above, was then visited by the team, now accompanied by the wereda official. The station was found to be surrounded by water in a semi-circle and protected against the floods by a dam of soil-filled polypropylene food-aid bags. Trucks were bringing more soil and people were seen busy preparing more sand bags in order to enforce the protective wall around the station, which appeared to be at a critically lower level than the waters on the other side of the sand bag wall.

The next morning, 27 August, the team drove out of Nazareth south on the Asela road and turned off westbound shortly after the Sodere junction and the Awash river bridge driving about six kilometers into the Wonji sugar cane plantation. En route, the plantation seemed to be fine, but finally after six kilometers this particular excursion came to a halt since further passage was impossible due to extensive flooding. The team observed the water level increasing slowly and assumed that on this dry and sunny day, according to information obtained earlier, the flood gates of the Koka dam were being re-opened to release further pressure by letting out water.

The team inspected the town of Sodere to note that facilities and land of the Sodere hotel were partly inundated by knee-deep water. Traveling the track road along the Awash river towards Metahara (distance Sodere to Metahara on this road is 91 kilometers), the team noted after 49 kilometers, where the Awash reaches almost road level, heavy machinery moving earth in order to protect the road, which serves amongst others the numerous plantations (cotton, maize, oranges, papayas, sugar cane, vegetables) in this area. At a village identified as "Bole" (56 kilometers from Sodere) the bridge crossing the Awash had very little clearance left between its supporting beams and the water surface.

En-route to Metahara, pockets of flooding were observed here and there, but overall the situation seemed not to be very critical at the time of the trip. No particular problems were observed around either the sugar plantation or Metahara town, although it was reported that people had been temporarily been evacuated from the river-side over the weekend and the bore-hole and water pipeline supplying the town had suffered some damage. After having traveled back to Nazareth on the main highway, the team went again to visit the two Wonji locations (interrupted road and pump station) 7 kilometers south west of Nazareth. Overnight obviously the water level had decreased slightly. Nevertheless, efforts to reinforce the protection of the pump station continued.
 

Provisional conclusions

The field visit conducted 26-27 August presented a highly vulnerable but not catastrophic situation. It should be noted, however, that the team was not able to visit the camps where evacuees have gathered or all areas that have become inundated. If at all, the team can at this point only come to a preliminary conclusion: the situation east of the dam (Wonji area) still critical with very high water levels and widespread flooding; further north-east towards Metahara significantly lesser danger but the river running very high. The team are not able to comment on conditions faced by people displaced by the floods, however, some NGOs who were able to visits camps at Cheka, the village of Koka and the school centre in Nazereth give a mixed picture with basic needs met despite significant operational confusion.

Overall at the time of the visit there appeared no reason for major alarm. This assessment was confirmed by officials in charge of the Nazereth Operations Centre, who emphasized that the situation remains within the handling capacities of the national and regional authorities. While the immediate relief needs have been met, it is apparent that it will be necessary to monitor the situation closely over the coming weeks. In particular, the Ministry of Health is concerned that preparations be made to counter the threat of epidemics, including malaria and diarrhea.

It was evident that the floods have resulted in some damage to local infra-structure. The Wonji sugar refinery has suffered unspecified damage, access roads have been cut, bridges possibly weakened, homes destroyed and community water supplies disrupted. The extent of this damage has yet to be properly assessed and it could be some time before the full cost can be determined. Priority, however, should be given to the restoration and protection from future flood-damage of town and village water supplies. As noted above, the Metahara water system has been damaged, and, at the time of the team’s visit, three out of thirteen boreholes supplying Nazereth had been destroyed and others in a vulnerable position. It is thought probable that this picture will be repeated for many communities reliant on boreholes sunk close to the river.

Finally, in view of the high possibility of further flooding along the lower reaches of the Awash, a UNDP-EUE assessment mission left to Gewane and Dubti on Thursday 29 August. A provisional report on the situation should available after a few days.
 

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the UN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.