Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flood, 29 Feb 2024
| Allocation | $5,979,538 |
|---|---|
| Emergency type | Flood |
| Window | Rapid Response |
| Recipient UN Agencies | UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, WHO |
| Group(s) of people targeted | Host communities, Internally displaced persons, Other affected persons |
| People reached | 480,608 |
| Status | Report Available |
| Due dates | | |
| Allocation code | 24-RR-COD-63589 |
| Title | DR Congo RR Application Feb 2024 (Flooding) |
Overview of the humanitarian situation
In December 2023, exceptional rainfall caused the Congo River to surge to its highest level since 1961, prompting the Government to declare a hydrological and ecological disaster. The flooding inflicted significant damage across the DRC, resulting in the destruction of 98,000 homes and 1,325 schools. The catastrophic flooding impacted 18 of the country's 26 provinces, leading to 300 fatalities and 2.1 million affected people. The consequences of the floods were amplifying pre-existing humanitarian challenges and needs, with significant destruction of infrastructure and a critical disruption of basic services. In response to the flooding, the DRC Government initiated a three-month response strategy requiring $289 million.
CERF-funded assistance
In response to the crisis, CERF allocated $6 million from its Rapid Response window for the humanitarian response. This funding enabled UN agencies and partners to provide life-saving assistance to over 480,000 people, including 137,846 women, 216,205 children, and including 67,325 people with disabilities, in the most flood-affected areas through a multi-sectoral response targeting the WASH, Health, Shelter/NFI, Food Security and Protection sectors.
CERFs Strategic Added Value
The CERF funding provided significant strategic added value to the humanitarian response by facilitating a coordinated and multisectoral intervention in critical emergency contexts. In provinces such as South Kivu and Kinshasa, where humanitarian presence was very limited, this funding was often the only available source to address the urgent needs of populations affected by floods. Despite some delays in implementing their projects, the assurance of rapid replenishment through CERF funds enabled agencies to mobilize their contingency stocks for swift distributions. In the health sector, this funding allowed for effective responses to epidemic outbreaks such as Mpox and cholera through the deployment of epidemiologists, the supply of essential medicines, and the implementation of preventive measures. For instance, no cholera cases were confirmed in the areas targeted by WHO, thanks to a combination of rapid interventions and community awareness efforts. Finally, agencies used this funding as leverage to mobilize additional resources from donors such as BHA, ECHO, and Germany, thereby extending the initiated activities and enhancing the overall humanitarian response.
Projects included in this allocation
| Organization | Project title | Code | Amount in US$ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHO | Réponse d’urgence aux conséquences sanitaires des inondations dans les provinces de l’Equateur, Kinshasa et Tshopo, en RDC | 24-RR-WHO-006 | US$1,500,296 | Read more |
| UNICEF | Réponse d'urgence intégrée pour soulager les besoins vitaux immédiats des populations les plus vulnérables, touchées par les inondations en Équateur, à Kinshasa et dans la Tshopo. | 24-RR-CEF-012 | US$1,980,000 | Read more |
| UNHCR | Réponse multisectorielle : Protection, Abris et AME aux victimes des inondations en RDC (Kinshasa, Sud-Kivu) | 24-RR-HCR-004 | US$999,242 | Read more |
| WFP | Assistance alimentaire d’urgence au Sud-Kivu et à Kinshasa | 24-RR-WFP-009 | US$1,500,000 | Read more |