Q&A on the flooding status of Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya
The flooding situation in Kenyan refugee camps has reached a critical level, severely impacting thousands of vulnerable residents. The floods have exacerbated the dire living conditions in these camps, leading to overcrowded shelters as families seek higher ground. Through a Q&A session with the fields team, here is an update on the situation at hand and interventions being undertaken by DRC and partners.
Juliana Ndeto
Posted on 21 May 2024
Q&A on The Flooding Status of Dadaab Refugee Camp with Juliana Ndeto, Area Manager Dadaab, DRC Kenya
What is the current status of flooding in the Dadaab refugee camp? How severe is the situation compared to previous years, if applicable? What’s the impact on the refugees and host communities’ source of livelihood?
Juliana Ndeto: Ifo 1 and Ifo 2 were the worst hit by the floods followed by Dagahaley. Hagadera was affected but with minimal impact. This is according to the proceedings of a meeting held by the flood response inter-agency meeting chaired by UNHCR.
A rapid assessment was conducted on 28th April which provided the true picture of the flood impact. A total of 20,000 HHs have been affected by the floods with most of them having relocated to the nearby schools within their camps.
Farms in Dagahaley and Hagadera were heavily affected with farmers losing all their crops including poultry. The market is not fully functional as the roads from Garissa to Dadaab have been affected by the rains. The impact is inflation of food prices and fewer commodities to be purchased.
How has the flooding impacted the infrastructure within the camps, such as shelters, latrines, and water sources? Are there any immediate threats to the safety and well-being of the refugees and host communities? Are there any disease outbreaks reported?
Juliana Ndeto: In IFO 1, the entire camp is submerged in water.
In IFO 2 the situation is more less the same as that in IFO 1.
There is limited access to the field offices. The latrines collapsed due to the floods.
In Dagahaley, some blocks such as A11 are more affected than others.
There is also an outbreak of measles in the Dagahaley camp and reports of a cholera outbreak in IFO 1.
DRC is currently planning to respond through cash transfer to 170 HHs, non-food items (NFIs) for GBV survivors to 125 HHs, and WASH NFIs to 3,000 HHs.
/ Juliana Ndeto, Area Manager Dadaab, DRC Kenya
What measures are being taken by DRC and other humanitarian agencies to address the immediate needs of the affected population, such as providing shelter, food, and medical assistance? How many people (households) are displaced?
Juliana Ndeto: DRC is currently planning to respond through cash transfer to 170 HHs, non-food items (NFIs) for GBV survivors to 125 HHs, and WASH NFIs to 3,000 HHs. Similarly, dissemination of GBV and sanitation messages will be disseminated across the camps. Other agencies such as WFP are providing food rations at 50% per HH. Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) has distributed NFIs to 1,191 households that received NFIs through UNHCR-coordinated distributions in IFO 2 and Dagahaley.
In addition, the Consortium of Handicap International (HI) and Terre des Hommes (TDH) will reach 1,100 vulnerable children in refugee schools with cash interventions, prioritizing IFO and Dagahaley.
In the face of recurring floods, what long-term strategies should be considered to mitigate the impact of flooding on the refugee camps? Are there plans for infrastructure improvements or relocation efforts?
Juliana Ndeto: Agencies are working on a mitigation plan which is being coordinated by UNHCR. This plan will help agencies to plan ahead of such incidences and ensure that help is given to beneficiaries in real-time.
There are plans to relocate the refugees from IFO 2 to higher grounds. Department of Refugee Services (DRS) is working on the identification of the areas where the people can move to.
The community leaders, as well as county leaders, are involved in discussion and decision-making for the flood response for now.
/ Juliana Ndeto, Area Manager Dadaab, DRC Kenya
How are different stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and international organizations, coordinating their efforts to respond to the flooding and support the affected refugees and host communities?
Juliana Ndeto: The UNHCR inter-agency coordination forum is the one coordinating the efforts of response to floods in the camps.
The different sector working groups have their meetings to deliberate on the issues and progress before the inter-agency meeting which meets bi-weekly.
How are the residents of the refugee camps being involved in decision-making processes regarding flood preparedness, response, and recovery efforts? Are there any community-led initiatives or resilience-building programs in place?
Juliana Ndeto: The community leaders, as well as county leaders, are involved in discussion and decision-making for the flood response for now. However, moving forward, it was agreed that the same leaders be involved in preparedness plans given they understand their environment better than agencies and can support their people to be prepared for such eventualities.
