Hundreds of Villages flooded

After heavy rainfall at the beginning of March, which equalled the average fall for two months within three days, the rivers Borzsa and Tisza and all the smaller rivers in the hills have been rising continuously. About 200 villages in 12 of the 13 Transcarpathian districts in western Ukraine have been flooded, with Beregszasz and Nagyszolos districts being the worst hit. In Hungary 30,000 people from 20 villages and towns have been evacuated, hundreds of houses destroyed some roads and bridges washed away. ACT members Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) and Hungarian Baptist Aid (HBAid) are assisting the flood victims.

ACT member Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) is assisting the flood affected in the region of Transcarpathia in western Ukraine with food and hygienic items. On 6 March HIA started with the distribution of relief goods to displaced people in western Ukraine. Another 8,5 tons of food and disinfectants have been shipped to Beregovo/Beregszasz district and distributed in the village of Bene and in the town of Beregovo/Beregszasz to those evacuated from small villages.

Csetfalva in Beregszasz district is totally inundated and 40 houses have collapsed in the village which can only be reached by army vehicles. Sarosoroszi was inundated by water from three different directions as the banks of the river Borzsa burst at Kovaszo. However, the population did not want to leave their homes according to the evacuation plan and spent the night in the school and local municipality buildings.

HIA reports, that many settlements are isolated as road, railways and bridges are under water. People have been escaping the rising waters by boat or they are awaiting rescue on the roofs of their houses. Displaced people are accommodated in schools and other community buildings. HIA points out that rescue operations are hampered by a lack of organised assistance.

According to HIA the most urgent needs are disinfectants, washing powder, medicines and medical supplies, mattresses, blankets, hygienic items, clothing, shoes and non-perishable food.

In Hungary HIA has established a field office near the flood-affected area, in the Eastern-Hungarian town, Nyíregyháza. This will function as a logistics centre for all HIA relief activities. HIA is currently providing assistance for the evacuated population by transporting non-perishable food and hygienic items and is covering the four villages of Gyulahaza, Nyirmada, Rohod, Pusztadobos.

HIA is preparing a proposal for an ACT Appeal for the flood victims in Hungary and the Ukraine.

Hungarian Baptist Aid (HBAid) has sent its Special Rescue Team to the flood hit areas. Their first job was to work on the over flowing dams in the Ukraine and with their helicopters they picked up 16 people, who had climbed on the trees to escape from the floods. The team returned to Hungary when the situation there became more serious. The team also tried to prevent the dam burst in Tarpa but without success. The team continued working on the remaining dams as well as helping to evacuate the inhabitants of several villages. They also assisted to break down a road which was serving as a dam to channel water to an area without any settlements. The team is still at the site working.

HBAid is transporting and distributing relief goods to those who have been evacuated, as well as to rescue workers and those who are staying in their homes despite the flood. HBAid has shipped food supplies to Tarpa, the most severely affected village and to Vasarosnameny, a regional centre cut off from the outside world by the water and to the Ukraine. HBAid is co-operating with one of its local partners to provide medicines and medical supplies.

HBAid reports that the most urgent needs are food, blankets, clothing, potable water and disinfectants (antiseptics) in the Ukraine and food, potable water and disinfectants in Hungary.

HBAid is preparing a proposal for an Appeal based on a survey of the situation.