UGANDA: Satellite phones to mitigate flood disaster

In an effort to facilitate coordination of humanitarian aid delivery to tens of thousands of people in areas of eastern and northern Ugandan ravaged by severe flooding, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has provided government and humanitarian agencies with 25 satellite telephones.

Unusually heavy rainfall – the worst in 35 years – has fallen in the region since July, destroying much of the first season harvest and disrupting second season planting.

The floods damaged shelter, water and sanitation facilities as well as the road network and telecommunications installations, cutting off some of the affected areas. Up to 300,000 people have been affected, especially in Amuria, Soroti, Kumi, Katakwi and Bukedea districts, where the water has washed away bridges and roads, making access difficult, according to UN estimates.

The satellite terminals have been made available under ITU's emergency telecommunications programme, which started in 2006, Sanjay Acharya, ITU's head of media and public information, told IRIN. "We are still developing the programme, but resources are limited," he said.

The mobile terminals are expected to restore communication links to the flood-affected areas, enabling designated government officials and humanitarian agencies to more efficiently coordinate relief operations. They will be transported by helicopter to serve people most in need, ITU said in a statement.

"There is no doubt that communication links are essential to ensure a more effective and coordinated relief effort. This is why we have, upon request from the Uganda Communications Commission, quickly deployed the resources at our disposal," said Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau.

The ITU has, in the past three months, deployed telecommunications resources for disaster mitigation in Peru after an earthquake in August and in Bangladesh in September when the country was hit by severe flooding.

The organisation has provided both Thuraya hand-held satellite telephones and Inmarsat Global Area Network terminals.