Post-Script by Siobhan Boyle, M. Nurul Amin, Rehana Amin Lovely - CONCERN

The 1998 flood in Bangladesh was the longest lasting flood of the century. It's immediate impact lasted for more than two months, directly affecting more than 75% of the country. A massive intervention from both government and NGO sectors was required. SCF's strategy to monitor the situation and collect coherent information from an early stage was important. Other valuable strategies and activities that were undertaken by SCF were:

• implementation of timely nutrition survey to ascertain baseline information on prevalence of malnutrition,
• using local partners as a means to target resources,
• the involvement of children in assessment and response,
• ongoing monitoring after flood waters receded.

Concern Worldwide, operational in Bangladesh since 1972, also responded to the flood disaster by implementing a countrywide emergency programme targeted at up to 200,000 families. Concern has developed in-country expertise as part of it's wider organisational policy to respond more effectively to emergencies particularly with respect to appropriate skills, local resources, timeliness and preparedness.
The bulk of Concern's response was outside it's 'normal working areas due to the tremendous needs countrywide. This was made feasible by working through local partners. Concern managed to access populations and work effectively under very difficult circumstances by using knowledge and expertise of local resources. Concern implemented the emergency response with both established and new local NGO partners throughout the country and provided training to these partners in appropriate logistical systems (master rolls, goods delivery and goods received notes etc.). One of the key problems of access to the target group due to remoteness and travel restrictions due to flooding, was overcome to a large extent by the establishment of partnerships with local NGOs.
Concern's interventions were multidimensional, addressing both the short-term and medium term effects of the flood. Concern's response included:

• distribution of food and non-food materials to the target population,
• provision of basic health care services, in partnership with the local government and CBOs (Community Based Organisations), through both mobile and satellite health centres,
• assistance to communities to clean out tubewells,
• working with the MoH on a large de-worming campaign in one of the worst affected areas in Dhaka (Zinzira), and
• assistance to communities with shelter and housing reconstruction.

Some key issues in the overall response to the flood disaster response are summarised as:

• The continued rising of water levels over a prolonged period was not anticipated (duration and geographic areas affected) and therefore the required capacity to respond was underestimated by both government and NGO bodies. As water levels rose unusually slowly a rapid emergency response was not initiated in the early stages. Furthermore, water levels receded very slowly, exacerbating the effects of the flood.
• Co-ordination, was in general weak. ADAB (Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh), held regular meetings and circulated information on a weekly basis. International member agencies of DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee) did meet to informally share information. Many NGOs collected information separately which suited their own needs rather than a collective need. An exception to this was information collected and shared by SCF. However, what was notable, was the tremendous response from all levels of Bangladesh including individual families, clubs, religious groups, schools, artists etc., as well as the international and local NGOs and government.
  
• The significant health and sanitation problems which were anticipated following receding of the flood waters did not occur. Despite an increase in the incidence of diahorreal diseases, (normally closely associated with flooding periods), no significant epidemic outbreak was reported.

Shelter needs were an immediate priority during the floods as was the assistance with rebuilding houses when the flood waters receded. Due to the slow onset of the floods, many families were able to retain household items.

• The lack of a coherent emergency preparedness plan was as much due to the nature of this emergency as any other factor. However many small and local NGOs do not have the capacity to develop emergency preparedness strategies.
  
• The problem of targeting limited resources was a challenge during the flood response. Targeting the right groups and area in an emergency situation is not easy. This was partially over come by working through local NGOs and CBOs and the use of effective targeting assessments and household surveys.

In conclusion, the ongoing work in the areas of emergency preparedness and post flood monitoring as outlined below will be essential in the future:

• While many local organisations and CBOs working in Bangladesh may not have enough expertise in specific areas of disaster response, their knowledge and understanding of local needs and people is essential for an effective response. This was clearly demonstrated by the key role that local NGOs played in the overall response to the flood. Emergency preparedness and disaster response management programmes will be essential for developing the capacity of local NGOs and CBOs in a country which is prone to cyclones and floods on an annual basis.
• Medium and longer-term food security problems caused as a result of the flood, are serious concerns. For example, two successive rice-planting opportunities were lost during the ten weeks of the floods, this is expected to have an impact on food availability in early 1999. Another significant widespread problem that is expected to arise is the inability of families to repay credit loans to NGOs. Local NGO capacity to continue to operate will be increasingly difficult with this current and expected lack of repayment. Due to the longer-term impact of the floods, it will be necessary to continue to monitor and assess the situation for a prolonged period. Bench-mark data, such as that collected by SCF, will be useful as baseline data to monitor the situation over time and identify priority areas of need.