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Bridges Leads Humanitarian Response to Boueng Kak Flooding Crisis (November 7, 2007) Since the third week of October, polluted overspill from Boueng Kak lake flooded all the public walkways, bridges and many houses and small businesses of Village 4 in the Sras Chak commune of Phnom Penh. Bridges Across Borders has responded to the worsening humanitarian situation by transforming its Rudi Boa Community Center in Village 4 into a temporary health clinic to treat skin diseases and other illnesses attributed to the flooding and by distributing relief supplies to the deluged households. Background Flooding in the settlements around the lake is an annual problem, however, this year the waters have come much earlier, risen higher, and are expected to stay for longer. The flooding has been attributed to the rapid urbanization of Phnom Penh, and the filling of other city lakes as well as part of Boueng Kak itself, to make way for private development projects. The water levels have begun to recede however the polluted waters that have deluged the village now hide a layer of slippery green residue that covers every surface. The walkways and bridges are extremely dangerous as the murky water hides big holes and edges that give way to deep drops into the lake. This picture shows how the walkways looked before they were flooded. There are no handrails to guide people and protect children from falling in the lake and drowning. In previous years, numerous children have died from falling off the walkways and bridges collapsing underneath them. With funding that has been provided by a donor agency, the government is supposed to fix these walkways and ensure they are safe for the village residents, however this has not been done. Instead, the flood-affected community, along with dozens of other communities surrounding the lake, were issued a notice in February that their land had been leased to a private developer. The plight of this community is only likely to become more difficult as the eviction pressures mount in the upcoming year. Meanwhile, it appears that the filling of the lake has already begun, with disastrous consequences. The Situation BAB staffs have been working with the residents of Village 4 for almost a year, running the Rudi Boa Community Center situated in the heart of the affected area. Normally functioning as a center for supplementary education, the Rudi Boa Center has opened its doors in the wake of this disaster to deliver emergency aid and health care to the surrounding community. During a flood assessment, BAB staffs visited most of the houses in the village to talk to the residents and identify their needs. One lady asked us to bring a nurse to take a look at her sick two month old baby who would not feed from her breast. The house was the worst case of flooding we had seen with over a foot of filthy water covering the entire ground. Her family of 6 was perched on raised platforms, the only dry place in the entire house where they cooked, ate, washed and slept. We returned the next day with blankets, milk, fresh water, baby clothes and skin cream and invited her to our clinic to visit the doctor. The health needs of the community are vast. With no access to affordable health care, the majority of people wait until it’s too late to seek medical help. One lady from the community “Moms Group” that meets weekly at the Center died last week of a severe kidney infection. She hadn’t urinated for 2 days and finally it killed her. She had 5 young children. The general poor health of this impoverished community is likely to get considerably worse due to the sanitation crisis caused by the floods. Sanitation Risks Doctor Nicolas Teboul specializes in tropical medicine and has been working with Bridges Across Borders to assist the Village 4 residents to cope with the health impacts of the floods. He warns that the poor sanitation situation could quickly develop into a health crisis. Risks directly related to the water include drowning, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, bacterial infections, worms, hepatitis A, chronic dermatitis and fungal skin infections. Risks related to the medical waste found in the water include hepatitis B/C and HIV from the contaminated needles found floating in the water, multi resistant drug bacteria such as TB, pneumococcus, salmonella, E coli and cholera. Basic health risks related to social conditions include: scabies, TB, rabies, tetanus, syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B, gonoccocal infections and from food: hepatitis A, E Amoebiasis, Giadiasis, bacterial diarrhea and worms. The Clinic Due to the heightened health needs of Village 4, and the risks related to children walking through the water to school everyday, the Rudi Boa center has temporarily turned the community school into a free health clinic. International volunteer doctors and nurses have been treating general health problems and specific problems related to the floods such as bacterial and fungal skin infections, diarrhea, scabies, flu and lung infections. The twice-weekly clinic has been inundated with patients, many of which cannot be seen due to lack of time. Priority is given to children and the elderly. Any serious problems that cannot be treated in the clinic are referred to free hospitals in Phnom Penh. BAB plans to keep the clinic open throughout the flooding period and less frequently after the flood waters have receded depending on the availability of medically trained volunteers. Humanitarian Relief After conducting a rapid assessment, BAB obtained funding from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) to purchase and distribute relief materials to the entire Village 4 community. The UNOHCHR responded immediately to our appeal and have funded rubber protective boots, 2 blankets, 2 soaps, hammocks and bleach for all the affected families, which we distributed with the help of community representatives on the 12th of November. In addition to this the UNHCHR funded a large stock of medicine and other health supplies to be used by doctors at the Rudi Boa health clinic. SOS international health clinic donated 6 sacks of used clothes which have already been distributed amongst the affected families. These relief efforts at Village 4 have been made possible by the help of donors and friends from across the globe. The team at BAB would like to pay special thanks to all those individuals who responded right away to our call for help and raised or donated funds to support the Village 4 residents. We join the families of Village 4 in thanking you for your compassion and generosity. Please email antonia@babsea.org for any enquiries related to the flooding or the humanitarian response at Boueng Kak Lake. If you would like to make a contribution to our relief efforts, such as the ongoing costs of the clinic, please follow our Donate Now link, and note in the memo box that your donation is for the Village 4 Flood Response. Home or News Archives

Bridges Leads Humanitarian Response to Boueng Kak Flooding Crisis (November 7, 2007)

Since the third week of October, polluted overspill from Boueng Kak lake flooded all the public walkways, bridges and many houses and small businesses of Village 4 in the Sras Chak commune of Phnom Penh. Bridges Across Borders has responded to the worsening humanitarian situation by transforming its Rudi Boa Community Center in Village 4 into a temporary health clinic to treat skin diseases and other illnesses attributed to the flooding and by distributing relief supplies to the deluged households.

Background

Flooding in the settlements around the lake is an annual problem, however, this year the waters have come much earlier, risen higher, and are expected to stay for longer. The flooding has been attributed to the rapid urbanization of Phnom Penh, and the filling of other city lakes as well as part of Boueng Kak itself, to make way for private development projects.

The water levels have begun to recede however the polluted waters that have deluged the village now hide a layer of slippery green residue that covers every surface. The walkways and bridges are extremely dangerous as the murky water hides big holes and edges that give way to deep drops into the lake.

This picture shows how the walkways looked before they were flooded. There are no handrails to guide people and protect children from falling in the lake and drowning. In previous years, numerous children have died from falling off the walkways and bridges collapsing underneath them. With funding that has been provided by a donor agency, the government is supposed to fix these walkways and ensure they are safe for the village residents, however this has not been done. Instead, the flood-affected community, along with dozens of other communities surrounding the lake, were issued a notice in February that their land had been leased to a private developer. The plight of this community is only likely to become more difficult as the eviction pressures mount in the upcoming year. Meanwhile, it appears that the filling of the lake has already begun, with disastrous consequences.

The Situation

BAB staffs have been working with the residents of Village 4 for almost a year, running the Rudi Boa Community Center situated in the heart of the affected area. Normally functioning as a center for supplementary education, the Rudi Boa Center has opened its doors in the wake of this disaster to deliver emergency aid and health care to the surrounding community. During a flood assessment, BAB staffs visited most of the houses in the village to talk to the residents and identify their needs.

One lady asked us to bring a nurse to take a look at her sick two month old baby who would not feed from her breast. The house was the worst case of flooding we had seen with over a foot of filthy water covering the entire ground. Her family of 6 was perched on raised platforms, the only dry place in the entire house where they cooked, ate, washed and slept. We returned the next day with blankets, milk, fresh water, baby clothes and skin cream and invited her to our clinic to visit the doctor.

The health needs of the community are vast. With no access to affordable health care, the majority of people wait until it’s too late to seek medical help. One lady from the community “Moms Group” that meets weekly at the Center died last week of a severe kidney infection. She hadn’t urinated for 2 days and finally it killed her. She had 5 young children. The general poor health of this impoverished community is likely to get considerably worse due to the sanitation crisis caused by the floods.

Sanitation Risks

Doctor Nicolas Teboul specializes in tropical medicine and has been working with Bridges Across Borders to assist the Village 4 residents to cope with the health impacts of the floods. He warns that the poor sanitation situation could quickly develop into a health crisis.

Risks directly related to the water include drowning, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, bacterial infections, worms, hepatitis A, chronic dermatitis and fungal skin infections.

Risks related to the medical waste found in the water include hepatitis B/C and HIV from the contaminated needles found floating in the water, multi resistant drug bacteria such as TB, pneumococcus, salmonella, E coli and cholera.

Basic health risks related to social conditions include: scabies, TB, rabies, tetanus, syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B, gonoccocal infections and from food: hepatitis A, E Amoebiasis, Giadiasis, bacterial diarrhea and worms.

The Clinic

Due to the heightened health needs of Village 4, and the risks related to children walking through the water to school everyday, the Rudi Boa center has temporarily turned the community school into a free health clinic. International volunteer doctors and nurses have been treating general health problems and specific problems related to the floods such as bacterial and fungal skin infections, diarrhea, scabies, flu and lung infections.

The twice-weekly clinic has been inundated with patients, many of which cannot be seen due to lack of time. Priority is given to children and the elderly. Any serious problems that cannot be treated in the clinic are referred to free hospitals in Phnom Penh. BAB plans to keep the clinic open throughout the flooding period and less frequently after the flood waters have receded depending on the availability of medically trained volunteers.

Humanitarian Relief

After conducting a rapid assessment, BAB obtained funding from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR) to purchase and distribute relief materials to the entire Village 4 community. The UNOHCHR responded immediately to our appeal and have funded rubber
protective boots, 2 blankets, 2 soaps, hammocks and bleach for all the affected families, which we distributed with the help of community representatives on the 12th of November. In addition to this the UNHCHR funded a large stock of medicine and other health supplies to be used by doctors at the Rudi Boa health clinic. SOS international health clinic donated 6 sacks of used clothes which have already been distributed amongst the affected families.

These relief efforts at Village 4 have been made possible by the help of donors and friends from across the globe. The team at BAB would like to pay special thanks to all those individuals who responded right away to our call for help and raised or donated funds to support the Village 4 residents. We join the families of Village 4 in thanking you for your compassion and generosity.

Please email antonia@babsea.org for any enquiries related to the flooding or the humanitarian response at Boueng Kak Lake. If you would like to make a contribution to our relief efforts, such as the ongoing costs of the clinic, please follow our Donate Now link, and note in the memo box that your donation is for the Village 4 Flood Response.

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