Bolivia - Floods Fact Sheet #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2008

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)

BACKGROUND AND KEY DEVELOPMENTS

Since November 2007, heavy rainfall has significantly affected the Bolivian departments of Beni, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, La Paz, and Santa Cruz. Forecasts indicate that rains will continue into March, impacting productive land, secondary and tertiary road networks, and people.

As of February 14, Cochabamba, La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Beni departments had received above-normal rainfall in January and February. Heavy rainfall forecast in these areas may prolong higher water levels in the river systems.

To date, the floods and rains have affected nearly 57,000 families.

FY 2008 HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED TO DATE USAID/OFDA

Assistance to Bolivia: $372,550

USAID/Bolivia Assistance to Bolivia: $37,775

U.S. Embassy in La Paz Assistance to Bolivia: $32,915

DOD(2) Assistance to Bolivia: $50,000

Total USAID, U.S. Embassy, and DOD Humanitarian Assistance to Bolivia: $493,240

CURRENT SITUATION

As of February 13, ongoing rain and ensuing flooding had affected 56,986 families, caused 52 deaths, and left 5 people missing since November 2007, according to the GOB Civil Defense. Preliminary assessments indicate that the floods have affected nearly 24,000 hectares of cropland, damaged 108 houses, and destroyed 469 others.

On January 21, the GOB declared a national state of emergency due to the floods and issued emergency alerts in affected departments.

Between January 24 and 29, USAID/OFDA deployed a seven-person assessment team to Beni, Cochabamba, La Paz, and Santa Cruz departments to assess damages, identify needs, and deliver emergency assistance. The USAID/OFDA team is coordinating closely with the GOB Civil Defense, the U.S. Embassy in La Paz, USAID/Bolivia and its mission disaster relief officer, the U.N., and relief organizations.

On January 31, U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia Philip S. Goldberg flew to Santa Cruz on a plane carrying USAID/OFDA emergency relief supplies from La Paz. At the airport, the U.S. Ambassador held a joint press event with national GOB Civil Defense officials and a representative from the Santa Cruz Prefecture. On February 1, the USAID/Bolivia Director participated in a helicopter assessment of the community of San Pedro and delivered 1,000 hygiene kits and 1,000 water containers provided by USAID/OFDA.

Humanitarian Conditions in Affected Areas

On January 30, a member of the USAID/OFDA team and a representative of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) met with Emergency Operation Center (COE) representatives from Beni Department to discuss the humanitarian response in affected communities of the department. Officials noted that rising water levels could result in further damages to infrastructure, including water distribution and transportation systems, and that the water level could overflow Trinidad's surrounding wall.

On February 11, the GOB declared Beni Department a disaster zone due to damages caused by river overflows and flooding, according to the USAID/OFDA team. As of February 13, 13 municipalities in Beni had been affected, with 3,546 families relocated to temporary shelter camps, according to the departmental COE. The Joint Command is executing a plan to evacuate approximately 30,000 people in the event that water levels overflow the city of Trinidad's surrounding wall.

In Cochabamba Department, heavy rainfall resulted in the overflow of the Rocha River on February 2 and 3. On February 7, the GOB issued a red alert in Colcapirhua municipality due to damages caused by the river overflow. The USAID/OFDA team reported that flood-affected families have relocated to temporary shelters and schools. The GOB Civil Defense is providing food, mattresses, tents, and water containers to evacuees, and the Ministry of Health (MOH) is maintaining epidemiological surveillance systems in urban and rural areas of the department.

On February 1, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers performed water site inspections at the Hampaturi and Incachaca water reservoirs in La Paz Department, in collaboration with USAID/OFDA staff and representatives from EPSAS, the GOB's water services company. According to the team, the collapse of the Hampaturi water system due to erosion of river overflow reduced the water supply by 50 percent, resulting in disruption of water services in several areas of La Paz Department. By February 14, the system had been repaired, and water distribution had improved.

According to the USAID/OFDA team, officials from the GOB Ministry of National Defense continue to monitor water levels of the Piraí and Grande rivers in Santa Cruz Department. As of February 12, more than 1,000 families in Santa Cruz Department were in need of shelter. A U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team reported that more than 6,000 people were living in temporary camps as of February 12.

Emergency Relief Supplies

On February 10, USAID/OFDA airlifted 310 rolls of plastic sheeting, 1,000 ten-liter water containers, and 1,536 hygiene kits from the USAID/OFDA warehouse in Miami to Bolivia. The total value of the USAID/OFDA supplies, including transport, was $266,550. The airlift also included 48 small water purification units and 148 water testing kits donated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On February 11, the U.S. Ambassador presented the relief commodities to GOB Civil Defense officials, the Beni Prefect, and the Trinidad Mayor during a press conference held at the Jorge Henrich Arauz Airport in Trinidad. The emergency relief supplies will benefit nearly 2,000 families.

Shelter

USAID/Bolivia is pre-positioning additional USAID/OFDA plastic sheeting, hygiene kits, and water containers in the community of El Puente, Santa Cruz Department, in the event that ongoing rains result in the relocation of lowland neighboring communities. USAID/Bolivia is also providing USAID/OFDA plastic sheeting and metal structures to ADRA and the Centro de Investigación, Estudios y Servicios en Salud (CIES) to set up 100 tents and a health post in the community of Santa Ana de Yacuma, Beni Department.

Emergency Food Assistance

According to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP), a total of 36,000 families in Bolivia are in need of food. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that WFP is donating 10 metric tons (MT) of high energy biscuits to assist flood-affected individuals, particularly children and pregnant and lactating women. The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) has provided more than 14,000 rations of baby food.

The USAID/OFDA assessment team reported that as of February 12, the GOB had distributed approximately 500 MT of food to affected families and was preparing an additional 300 MT of food for distribution.

Health

According to the USAID/OFDA team in Bolivia, the GOB MOH has issued dengue fever alerts in Beni, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz departments. Forty health specialists deployed to Cochabamba Department continue to fumigate affected areas and provide health services. GOB officials have activated emergency health operations surveillance centers in Beni, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz departments. The MOH continues to maintain epidemiological surveillance systems in urban and rural areas. In January, the MOH confirmed 109 cases of dengue fever but found no indication of a spread of the disease.

Notes:

(1) Government of Bolivia

(2) U.S. Department of Defense