Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2005/0125
OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Bulgaria - Floods
State of Disaster Declared in 22 Municipalities
This situation report is based on information provided by the UN Resident Coordinator's Office, as well as by the State Agency for Civil Protection from Bulgaria.
Situation
1. Heavy rains over the weekend (4 to 6 August) have worsened the already critical flood situation in Bulgaria, prompting the Government to declare a State of Disaster in 22 Municipalities in 7 districts: Dolna Banya, Ihtiman, Kostenets, Gorna Malina, Botevgrad, Svoge, and Sofia District as a whole; the Municipalities of Kremikovtsi, Novi Iskar and Vrabnitsa, Sofia-City District; the Municipalities of Belovo, Velingrad, Pazardzhik, Panagyurishte, Septemvri and Lisichevo, Pazardzhik District; the Municipalities of Smolyan and Chepelare, Smolyan District; the Municipalities of Mezdra and Krivodol, Roman, and the whole Vratsa district; the Saedinenie Municipality, Plovdiv District; Iskar, Pleven District.
2. Hundreds of houses have been flooded forcing the evacuation of approximately 12,000 people. Some villages cannot be reached by land due to blocked or destroyed roads and bridges.
3. Segments of the main highways are partially blocked. A similar situation is faced by the railway system, which has brought some operations to a halt.
National response
4. The Government is intensifying its efforts to provide emergency shelter and food to the population rendered homeless. As drainage of flooded waters continues, hygiene and disinfecting measures have been put in effect to avoid further deterioration of sanitary conditions.
5. All national capabilities are being mobilised in response to this emergency, including line ministries, the Armed Forces, the participation of NGOs as well as private and public companies.
Priority Relief Needs
Unmet needs include the following items:
Food rations for approximately 20,000 people for two weeks
| 50 | Motor pumps for dirty water with a set of hosepipes and 25 - 100 l/sec. capacity |
| 50 | Plunging pumps for dirty waters - electric, with a set of hosepipes and 10 - 20 l/sec. capacity (mono phase) |
| 25 | Portable 6-8 KB electricity aggregates |
| 500 | Protective clothes for working under water (set) |
| 50 | Overboard engine inflatable boats |
| 1,000 | Sleeping bags |
| 300 | Rescue jackets |
| 20,000 | Mattresses |
| 20,000 | Blankets |
| 20,000 | Cots |
| 20,000 | Personal hygiene kits |
| 100 | Chemical toilets |
| 20,000 | Hepatitis vaccine type A (doses) |
| 100,000 | Antibiotics (tablets) |
| 1000 | Mosquitoes repellent (liters) |
| 200,000 | Sand bags |
In order to avoid overlaps, interested donors are encouraged to contact the Emergency Operating Centre, State Agency for Civil Protection, phone +359 2 862 60 75; fax +359 2 862 60 95.
International Relief Assistance
The following contributions have been reported thus far to OCHA:
United Nations
OCHA has released an emergency grant for the amount of USD30,000 channelled through the UN Resident Coordinator's Office.
UNICEF has provided 744 blankets, 500 sets of kitchen utensils, 100 kitchen water sets, collapsible water containers, water purification tablets and re-hydration salts
UNDP is also releasing an emergency cash grant
Governments
| Austria | Emergency cash grant through Care | EUR 37,000 |
| Czech Republic | In-kind emergency relief items (Substance against mould, disinfectants) | |
| Moldova | In-kind emergency relief items (Tents, rubber boots, blankets, towels, bed set) | |
| Slovak Republic | In-kind emergency relief items (Motor pumps, rubber boots, sleeping bags, tents, towels, soap, sand bags) | |
| Switzerland | In-kind emergency relief items (Sleeping bags, rescue jackets, rubber boots, protective clothes, bed sheets, pillow cases) | |
| United States | Emergency cash grant through Care | USD 50,000 |
6. OCHA is monitoring the situation and will revert with further information as it becomes available.
7. This Situation Report and information on ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.
MAP - Bulgaria: Floods - Situation map
Tel. +41-22-917 1234
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org
In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10
Desk Officers:
Mr. Ricardo Mena
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1455
E-mail: menar@un.org
Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Direct Tel. +1-917-892 1669
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.