August 22, 2011. Kuala Lumpur / Beijing / Geneva . Today, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is launching an emergency appeal for 3.5 million CHF (3.1 million Euros) to provide urgently needed supplies of food and non-food relief, shelter materials, clean water and health care to 30,000 people (approx 7,500 families) made homeless or badly affected by a series of storms and floods that have swept across southern and south western areas of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Since the end of June, consecutive floods caused by heavy rainfall and strong winds have wreaked havoc across the country, worsened by the impact of Typhoon Muifa in August.
Field assessments carried out by the DPRK Red Cross Society and the IFRC found that in some areas of the worst-affected South Hwanghae Province, about 50 per cent of homes had been destroyed and 90 per cent suffered some kind of damage.
“The floods and storms have left an already vulnerable population in a critical condition”, explains Igor Dmitryuk, IFRC head of delegation in Pyongyang. “The affected areas represent the bread basket of DPRK. With their homes and livelihoods destroyed people have been left with nothing to fall back on”.
With the rainy season continuing at full strength, many people are living under plastic sheeting or in the remnants of their dwellings, which are often at risk of imminent collapse. At the same time, polluted wells, boreholes, and submerged pump stations continue to raise serious health concerns.
“If no rapid action is taken, many people may have to spend the winter under plastic sheeting. With temperatures often as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius, we have to move fast to help them reconstruct their homes before the temperatures drop”, says Dmitryuk.
Due to chronic food shortages and lack of resources, the needs in food supplies and shelter materials in the affected areas has exceeded the capacity of the usual response by the DPRK government in disaster situations. As an immediate response, the DPRK Red Cross distributed relief items to more than 29,000 people who lost their homes and belongings. A further 24,000 people in Chongdan, Yonan and Pongchon counties in south Hwanghae province will receive food and household items to meet their immediate needs. In the same counties, 4000 of the most vulnerable people will benefit from distributions of good quality construction materials and technical support to help in the reconstruction of flood-resistant houses. As well as providing food and other relief supplies, the DPRK Red Cross will also focus on working to prevent the outbreak of disease by providing emergency health care and water and sanitation services.
For more information, or to set up interviews, please contact:
• Patrick Fuller, communications manager, Asia Pacific, IFRC
Mobile : +60 122 308 451 – E-mail : patrick.fuller@ifrc.org
• Jessica Sallabank, Senior Media Officer, Switzerland, IFRC
Mob. +41 799481148.– E-mail : jessica.sallabank@ifrc.org
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network, reaching 150 mil¬lion people each year through its 186 member National Societies. Together, the IFRC acts before, during and after disasters and health emergencies to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people. It does so with impartiality as to nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs, class and political opinions. For more information, please visit www.ifrc.org. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
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