Suriname: Red Cross Red Crescent launches an appeal to support heavy rains victims

In response to torrential rains that are causing extensive flooding throughout the South and South East of Suriname, affecting some 25,000 people, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched an appeal to assist those affected.

The appeal, seeking 854.305 Swiss francs (US$ 706.309 / €550.346), will support the Suriname Red Cross is assisting around 20,000 people over a four month period, until the wet season subsides.

The relief effort will concentrate on providing clean water and sanitation facilities and relief items including food, plastic sheeting and hygiene parcels.

The rains are expected to continue until mid July, so the situation could easily worsen, therefore there is a need to help those already affected, and scale up the operation if required.

An area of around 30,000 square kilometers has been affected by the floods, with more than 175 villages located along bursting riverbanks now submerged by more than two meters of muddy water. In some instances only thatched roofs are visible from the air.

Thousands of villagers in remote Suriname are currently stranded by flooding and access to the area is proving difficult.

In a combined response with the National Co-ordination Centre for Disasters, boats, planes and helicopters are being used to reach stranded people. Suriname Red Cross volunteers are accompanying these trips, to provide first aid and other emergency relief support

In response to increasing fears that water borne illness such as diarrhea and malaria may breakout the Suriname Red Cross is concentrating much of its efforts on water and sanitation needs.

“Assessment teams have found a critical need for potable water, food, shelter and first aid, and there are concerns about disease from floodwaters,” said Luis Luna, Regional Officer for the Americas at the Federation Secretariat in Geneva.

The International Federation has already issued CHF 100.000 in Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF) to start relief efforts.

The International Federation, through its Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) in Panama and has sent a disaster manager to support the Suriname Red Cross relief efforts.

PADRU has also chartered a flight that arrived to Suriname carrying 4.000 hygiene kits funded by the Netherlands Red Cross and ECHO.

There have been no major evacuations as yet, but the Government has set up two temporary shelters should the need arise, situated 100 kilometers south of the capital Paramaribo.