Date: Fri, 1 Sep 95 10:14:05 EDT
From: Emergency Information Administrator
Subject: Korea (ROK): Floods DHA-03
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
FLOODS
DHA GENEVA SITUATION REPORT NO. 3
31 AUGUST 1995
SITUATION
1. AT REQUEST OF GOVT, DHA-LED MISSION CONSISTING OF A
FOUR-PERSON UNDAC (UN DISASTER ASSESSMENT AND COORDINATION) TEAM
AND A WHO REPRESENTATIVE ARRIVED IN PYONGYANG ON 29 AUGUST.
2. UNDAC/WHO TEAM MET 30 AUGUST WITH GOVT AND RECEIVED EXTENSIVE
BRIEFING. MEETING WAS CHAIRED BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
WITH FOLLOWING GOVT ENTITIES PROVIDING INFORMATION IN THEIR
RESPECTIVE FIELDS: METEOROLOGICAL AND WEATHER SERVICE,
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, MINISTRIES OF GRAIN ADMINISTRATION,
PUBLIC HEALTH, ELECTRICITY, RAILWAY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND CITY
ADMINISTRATION, AND COMMISSIONS OF AGRICULTURE AND STATE
EDUCATION.
3. BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED, UNDAC/WHO TEAM REPORTS THAT
FLOODING OCCURRED DURING THREE SEPARATE PERIODS (7-15 JULY, 26
JULY-12 AUGUST, AND 17-20 AUGUST). LAST PERIOD WAS MOST INTENSE,
WITH UP TO 600 MM OF RAINFALL PER DAY (AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL IS
1,000-1,500 MM). RIVERS OVERFLOWED, AND A NUMBER OF SMALL AND
MEDIUM SIZED DAMS HAVE BURST, CREATING FLASH FLOODS.
4. FLOODS AFFECTED 145 COUNTIES, OUT OF THE COUNTRY'S 200
COUNTIES, STRETCHING FROM NORTH TO WEST COAST OF COUNTRY, AS WELL
AS SOUTH OF CAPITAL PYONGYANG. MOST AFFECTED AREAS ARE ALONG
AMNOK RIVER ON CHINESE BORDER ESPECIALLY AROUND CITY OF SINUIJI,
ALONG CHONGCH'ON RIVER ESPECIALLY AROUND CITIES OF PAKCH'ON AND
ANJU, AND TO SOUTH OF PYONGYANG NEAR RINSAN AND UNPHA WHERE DAM
AT SANGWOL RESERVOIR HAS BURST.
5. MAIN AREAS OF DAMAGE ARE FOLLOWING:
- FOOD
- WATER RESOURCES
- ELECTRICITY (DAMAGE/DESTRUCTION OF SMALL DAMS WITH HYDRO
POWER STATION)
- CROPS (ESPECIALLY RICE AND MAIZE)
- BUILDINGS (DAMAGE TO DWELLINGS, SCHOOLS, KINDERGARTENS,
CLINICS, HOSPITALS, FARMS, WAREHOUSES, AND INDUSTRIAL
BUILDINGS)
- TELECOMMUNICATIONS
- TRANSPORT SYSTEMS (DAMAGE TO ROADS, RAIL, AND TUNNELS)
6. FOOD IS A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT CONCERN. CURRENT FLOODING,
TOGETHER WITH HAIL STORM IN 1994 WHICH DESTROYED LARGE PART OF
HARVEST, RESULTED IN LACK OF RICE AND MAIZE. STAPLE DIET IN DPR
KOREA IS RICE, AVERAGE CONSUMPTION OF WHICH PER DAY IS 700 GRAMS
PER PERSON.
7. WHO REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS THAT LOSS/DAMAGE TO MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT IS ESTIMATED BY GOVT AT USD 3.1 MILLION. REPLACEMENT
FOR LOST/DAMAGED PHARMACEUTICALS IS ESTIMATED AT USD 2.1 MILLION.
PRELIMINARY EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORTS INDICATE INCREASED INCIDENCE
OF DIARRHOEA AND ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS. 20 HOSPITALS, 65
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CLINICS, 244 SMALL CLINICS, AND 150
MOTHER-CHILD HEALTH CENTERS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED OR DAMAGED.
WATER SOURCES, WATER PURIFICATION AND WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS HAVE
BEEN SEVERELY DISRUPTED IN AFFECTED AREAS.
NATIONAL RESPONSE
8. GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE INCLUDES, AT REGIONAL AND PROVINCIAL
LEVELS, A PREVENTION SYSTEM CONSISTING OF NON-STANDING COMMITTEES
RESPONSIBLE FOR PREVENTION AND WARNING. DPR KOREAN GOVT RAPIDLY
MOBILIZED ARMY, NAVY, AND AIR FORCE AND EVACUATED PEOPLE IN
IMMEDIATE DANGER.
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
9. ASSESSMENT TRIPS ARE BEING CARRIED OUT BY UNDAC/WHO TEAM,
TOGETHER WITH UNDP PYONGYANG. UNICEF, FAO, AND WFP ARE EXPECTED
TO JOIN UNDAC/WHO TEAM LATER THIS WEEK. THREE-PERSON SWISS
DELEGATION IS ALSO MAKING ASSESSMENT.
10. UNDAC/WHO TEAM IS VISITING AFFECTED AREAS STARTING TODAY.
AREAS TO BE VISITED ARE SANGWOL AND TOKDONG RESERVOIRS IN NORTH
WHANGHAE PROVINCE, SINUIJI CITY AREA, PAKCH'ON CITY AREA, AND
HUICHON AREA.
ASSISTANCE NEEDS
11. AT THIS STAGE, MAIN EMERGENCY NEEDS, AS REPORTED BY GOVT,
ARE IN AREAS OF FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING, AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
CONTRIBUTIONS
12. FOLLOWING CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DHA SO FAR:
DHA USD 50,000 EMERGENCY GRANT
WHO USD 100,000
NIPPON FOUNDATION USD 20,000 (THROUGH DHA)
(FORMERLY SASAKAWA FOUNDATION)
13. DHA IS PREPARED TO SERVE AS A CHANNEL FOR CASH CONTRIBUTIONS
TO BE USED DURING IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE. FUNDS ARE SPENT IN
COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATION OF THE UN SYSTEM. DHA
PROVIDES DONOR GOVTS WITH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF UTILIZATION OF
FUNDS CONTRIBUTED.
14. TRANSFERS OF FUNDS SHOULD BE MADE TO DHA ACCOUNT NUMBER
CO-590.160.1 AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770,
CH-1211 GENEVA 2, WITH FOLLOWING REFERENCE: NORTH KOREA -
FLOODS, DHA-GENEVA.
15. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM
DHA-GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF BILATERAL RELIEF
MISSION/PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE BY
ITEM.
+ DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - GENEVA +
TELEPHONE NO. +41-22/917.12.34
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY: TEL NO. +41-22/917.20.10
DESK OFFICER: MS. K. GOTOH, DIRECT TEL. +41-22/917.12.58
PRESS TO CONTACT: MS. M. MOULIN-ACEVEDO
DIRECT TEL. +41-22/917.28.56
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22/917.00.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: INTERNET DHAGVA AT UN. ORG
DPR 310 KOR 95(1)
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