Attachments
A. Situation analysis
Description of the disaster
On 23 November 2014, at 10.00 there was a volcanic eruption on the island of Fogo in Cape Verde. In the Cha das Caldeiras region of the island, approximately 5,700 metres of Cha Sao Felipe road had been affected by lava flows, which has resulted in the Bangaeira, Djeu Lorna and Portela communities becoming cut off. Air traffic to and from the island was stopped. All of the people who lived in the crater of the volcano were evacuated by the National Civil Protection Service and Military and sought refuge either in three camps (Achada Furna, Mosteiros and Montegrande), in schools, or were staying in Achada Furna, Monte Grande, São Felipe, Sao Miguel Island and Santa Catarina. The National Civil Protection Service reported that the lava flows had destroyed 230 buildings including homes and public infrastructure. It has also been reported that 444.7 hectares of land had been affected including 120 hectares of agricultural fields and livestock killed. In the Bangaeira and Portela communities, 100 per cent of buildings had been destroyed.
Fogo volcano has continued to erupt and at the end of January 2015, smoke was still observed coming out of the volcano. The lava flows generated two courses towards Cova Tina (South West), effectively cutting off the road to Bangaeira and Portela. The United Nations Disaster Assessment Coordination agency (UNDAC) with the local authorities worked on a contingency plan for the possible evacuation of Cutelo Alto and Fonsaco areas to either the Mosteiros airfield or Mosteiros football stadium. Fortunately these areas have remained unaffected directly by the lava flows. As of 6 February 2015, the volcano had not resulted in any loss of lives however, 1,076 people have been displaced of which 944 people are settled in the temporary shelter confinements built by the government in the 1995 volcanic eruption and a public school.