FL-2006-000156-TUR
The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in 185 countries.
In Brief
This Bulletin replaces is for information only, and reflects the situation and the information available at this time. The Federation is not seeking funding or other assistance from donors for this operation at this time.
The International Federation undertakes activities that are aligned with its Global Agenda, which sets out four broad goals to achieve the Federation's mission to "improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity."
Global Agenda Goals:
- Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters.
- Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies.
- Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability.
- Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and promote respect for diversity and human dignity.
The Situation
The floods which swept Turkey, from Istanbul province in the west to Diyarbakir in the southeast, at the end of October and beginning of November left casualties and damaged property. Sanliurfa province's Siverek, Ceylanpinar and Suruc districts were the first to be hit by the heavy rains and floods that most affected the eastern part of the country.
According to local press, around 38 people have lost their lives in floods.
Ministry of Public Works and Settlement General Directorate of Highways and local authorities have cleaned up the debris left by the floods and currently all the transportation roads are open.
Red Cross and Red Crescent action
The Turkish Red Crescent Society (Turkish RCS) Disaster Operation Centre (DOC) immediately alerted its Regional Disaster Response and Logistics Centres located in Erzurum and Elazig provinces, the Local Disaster Response & Logistics Centre (LDRLC) in Mus province and the branches and blood centres in the eastern provinces. DOC established a crisis centre to coordinate the response activities with its components in the field.
Since Information bulletin 1 was issued on 2 November, further action has been taken by Turkish RCS to assist affected communities. In Ceylanpinar, the latest figures are that 2,500 blankets, 300 food packages, 150 beds, 300 kitchen sets, 1,000 bottled water (0,5 lt.) and 300 jerry cans were distributed. Two nurses and one doctor from Gaziantep Blood Centre were also sent. Turkish RCS relief team is still distributing food packages and relief materials to affected people in coordination with the county crisis centre.
Batman is the most affected province in south-eastern part of the country. To date, 1,000 tents, 5,750 blankets, 1,000 mats, 46 containers, 1,200 food rations, 1,000 beds and 350 stoves have been sent to the province from South-eastern Anatolia Disaster Response and Logistics Centres (SADRLC). Turkish RCS relief team, in coordination with the crisis centre, is preparing to establish a camp for the affected people and is currently distributing relief. The relief team will strive to meet the urgent needs of the affected people and make a comprehensive need assessment for the sustainability of relief efforts.
In Suruc the updated distribution figures are: 110 tents, 1,800 blankets, two mobile kitchens, 700 food packages, 400 beds, 125 kitchen sets, 864 bottled water (0.5 lt.) and 690 jerry cans have been sent to the county. Turkish RCS regional and local centres are dispatching food items to the county and relief team is pitching tents.
In Sanliurfa province, Turkish RCS has delivered 250 tents, 4,350 blankets, 48 washing machines, 1,200 food rations, 1,500 kitchen sets, 1,200 stoves, 900 beds and 1,600 jerry cans to crisis centre. Relief efforts are coordinated with the related bodies. In Siverek county, in Sanliurfa province, to date 50 tents, 500 blankets, 50 stoves and 50 jerry cans have been delivered from Turkish RCS warehouses.
Yuksekova and Semdinli counties of Hakkari province, Cizre county of Sirnak province and Sanliurfa city centre were also affected by the floods. In response to the floods in Yuksekova and Semdinli, 280 tents and 1,000 blankets were delivered by Turkish RCS relief teams.
A total of 2,000 food packages were sent from Diyarbakir Blood Centre along with one mobile kitchen, 302 tents, 810 beds, 100 kitchen sets, 95 stoves, 1,000 jerry cans and 4,240 blankets from SADRLC to Cinar and Bismil districts in Diyarbakir,. Additionally, one mobile kitchen was delivered to the district of Cinar. Turkish RCS relief teams have pitched 76 tents in Bismil and 65 in Cinar and they are distributing food rations to the affected people.
Mus LDRLC was active in two districts of Sirnak province to help the victims of the flooding. In the Silopi district, in the south-eastern part of the province, it sent 275 tents, 3,000 blankets, two mobile kitchens, 100 mats, 600 food rations, 400 beds and 500 jerry cans. 250 tents were pitched in that district by a Turkish RCS relief team. While in the Uludere district of the province, it sent 170 tents, 2,050 blankets, two mobile kitchens, 100 mats, 600 food rations, 300 kitchen sets, 200 stoves, 400 beds and 500 jerry cans. Siirt Blood Centre sent 1,000 food rations with the help of a military lift and Turkish RCS relief team distributed 1,000 food packages along with other relief items. 50 tents have been pitched and hot meals are currently being given to the affected people twice a day.
In Mersin province, Erdemli Branch has distributed 1,000 food packages to the affected people and local workers. The situation in that province is getting relatively better.
Coordination
SADRLC has taken the overall responsibility of coordinating the relief efforts with the Turkish RCS relief teams in the field and with the related bodies in both provinces and counties. Turkish RCS relief teams are currently operational in Suruc, Ceylanpinar, Cinar, Bismil, Batman, Uludere, Silopi, Semdinli and Yuksekova.
Federation Regional Delegation in Ankara is monitoring the situation and is in touch with Turkish RCS DOC. To date, a total of 105 Red Crescent personnel (nine relief teams) and 17 vehicles have been deployed from various centres and branches to the affected regions. Turkish RCS has sent relief materials to the affected areas of the country at an estimated cost of USD 3 million.
As governmental bodies, Turkish Emergency Management Agency (TEMAD) and Disaster Affairs Directorate continue to play an active role in the affected provinces in cooperation with Turkish RCS and others. In provinces, crisis centres (headed by the governors) are operational with the participation of the related bodies. Military forces have also been involved from the very beginning of the response activities and are coordinating its relief activities with crisis centres and Turkish RCS.
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
Turkish Red Crescent Society: phone: 90 312 430 23 00; fax: 90 312 430 01 75; email: tkd@kizilay.org.tr
Stefan Seebacher, Head of Federation's Regional Delegation in Ankara, phone: 90 312 441 42 92; fax: 90 312 441 38 66; email: stefan.seebacher@ifrc.org
Sylvie Chevalley, Regional Officer, Europe Department, Federation, Geneva, phone: 41 22 730 4276; fax: 41 22 733 03 95; email: sylvie.chevalley@ifrc.org
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.
For longer-term programmes in this or other countries or regions, please refer to the Federation's Annual Appeal. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for national society profiles, please also access the Federation's website at http://www.ifrc.org
