Ecuador - Earthquake Mar 1987 UNDRO Situation Reports 1-5

UNDRO 87/0484
ECUADOR/COLOMBIA - EARTHQUAKE
INFORMATION REPORT NO. 1
07 MARCH 1987

ECUADOR

1. UNDRO/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS THAT ECUADOR WAS STRUCK BY A TECTONIC EARTHQUAKE DURING NIGHT OF 5 TO 6 MARCH WITH TWO MAJOR SHOCKS MEASURING 6.0 AND 6.8 ON RICHTER SCALE AT 20.50 AND 23.10 HRS LOCAL TIME. QUAKE WAS FOLLOWED BY OVER 700 AFTERSHOCKS DIMINISHING IN STRENGTH. EPICENTRE LOCATED 90 KMS EAST OF QUITO NEAR REVENTADOR VOLCANO.

2. NO CASUALTIES AND LIMITED DAMAGE REPORTED IN QUITO. FOUR NORTHEASTERN PROVINCES OF NAPO, CARCHI, IMBABURA, AND PASTAZA MORE SERIOUSLY AFFECTED. UP TO 20 PER CENT OF HOUSES DAMAGED IN TOWN OF SANTA ROSA, BAEZA AND CHACO CLOSE TO EPICENTRE OF QUAKE. PRESS REPORTS 6 DEAD AND 20 WOUNDED IN THIS AREA. COUNTRY'S MAIN PIPELINE LINKING OIL FIELDS IN AMAZON BASIN TO PACIFIC OCEAN COAST DISRUPTED OVER 40 KMS. HIGHWAY FROM QUITO TO NORTHEAST RUNNING PARALLEL TO PIPELINE INTERRUPTED OVER SAME DISTANCE.

3. GOVERNMENT DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY IN FOUR NORTHEASTERN PROVINCES AND ADOPTED FUEL CONSERVATION MEASURES. FUEL EXPORTS WILL HAVE TO BE DISCONTINUED FOR TIME NEEDED TO REPAIR PIPELINE WHICH ESTIMATED AT 2 TO 3 MONTHS.

COLOMBIA

4. UNDRO/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS ON NIGHT 5 TO 6 MARCH BETWEEN 20.00 AND 24.00 HRS FIVE CONSECUTIVE TREMORS FELT IN SOUTHERN PART COUNTRY WITH INTENSITY BETWEN 2 AND 4 MERCALLI SCALE WITHOUT SEVERE DESTRUCTIVE OR HUMAN INJURY CONSEQUENCES. ONLY MINOR HOUSING DAMAGES IN SOME TOWNS IN NARINO DEPARTMENT. NO INJURED PERSONS REPORTED.

6. NO REQUESTS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE RECEIVED.

ESSAAFI UNDRO GENEVA 28148

UNDRO 87/0499

ECUADOR - EARTHQUAKE
INFORMATION REPORT NO. 2
10 MARCH 1987

1. UNDRO/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH UNDRO/GENEVA CONCERNING EVENTS DERIVING FROM THE RECENT QUAKE AFFECTING THE COUNTRY.

2. AT A MEETING CONVOKED BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ATTENDED BY DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IT WAS CONVEYED THAT THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS, IN PARTICULAR, THE RUPTURE OF THE OIL PIPELINE MAY AMOUNT TO A LOSS IN EARNINGS ESTIMATED AS MUCH AS 370 MILLION US DLRS. A POSSIBLE SOLUTION MAY BE THE JOINING OF ECUADOR'S PIPELINE WITH COLOMBIA'S PIPELINE. REPAIR COSTS ESTIMATED AT AROUND US DLRS 150 MILLION.

3. EMERGENCY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY THE CIVIL DEFENSE UNIT ARE LOCATED IN THE NORTH EASTERN REGION BETWEEN BAEZA AND LAGO AGRIO. THE TOTAL POPULATION IN THESE AREAS IS ESTIMATED AT 75,000 WITH 20,000 DIRECTLY AFFECTED. SO FAR RESCUE OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN TRANSPORTING 1,000 PEOPLE TO QUITO BUT TEMPORARY CAMPS ARE BEING MAINTAINED AT BAEZA, BORJA AND CHACO.

4. MAIN REQUIREMENTS REPORTED ARE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR AN ESTIMATED 20,000 PEOPLE.

5. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS COORDINATING EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE BUT HAS NOT YET DECIDED TO LAUNCH AN INTERNATIONAL APPEAL. UN AGENCIES ACTIVE IN THE COUNTRY HAVE OFFERED EMERGENCY SUPPORT.

6. THE LEAGUE OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES (LRCS) HAS ISSUED AN APPEAL FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND HAS ALSO MADE AN EMERGENCY GRANT OF SFR 50,000. THE RED CROSS OF ECUADOR HAS SENT 2,700 RESCUE WORKERS TO THE AFFECTED AREAS.

7. CONTRIBUTIONS SO FAR REPORTED TO UNDRO:

1. UNDRO REMAINS IN CONTINUING CONTACT WITH AUTHORITIES THROUGH UNDRO/UNDP RESREP.

ESSAAFI UNDRO GENEVA 28148

DPR 310 ECU

UNDRO 87/0516

ECUADOR - EARTHQUAKE
UNDRO SITREP NO. 3
11 MARCH 1987

1. FOLLOWING INFORMATION REPORT NO. 2 UNDRO HAS NOW RECEIVED OFFICIAL REQUEST TO LAUNCH AN INTERNATIONAL APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE. UNDRO HAS DESPATCHED A RELIEF CO-ORDINATION OFFICER TO HELP IN ASSESSMENT SITUATION AND NEEDS IN AFFECTED AREA. HE IS TO ARRIVE QUITO TODAY.

2. AN UNDRO EMERGENCY GRANT OF 25,000 US DLRS, ADDITIONAL TO A GRANT OF 30,000 US DLRS FROM UNDP, HAS BEEN RELEASED FOR LOCAL PURCHASE OF EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES.

3. THE UNDRO/UNDP RESIDENT CO-ORDINATOR IS TRAVELLING BY SPECIAL AIR FORCE FLIGHT TO THE DISASTER AREA ON 12 MARCH.

4. DIFFICULTIES IN REACHING REMOTE DISASTER AREAS AFFECTED DUE TO LANDSLIDES, ROADS DESTROYED (OR BLOCKED), AND ALSO THE DISRUPTION OF COMMUNICATIONS HAVE HAMPERED EFFORTS IN OBTAINING PRECISE INFORMATION ON NEEDS. THEREFORE UNQUANTIFIED NEEDS REMAIN SAME AS STATED INFO REPORT 2. HOWEVER URGENT ASSESSMENT UNDERWAY AIDED BY RESREP AND FIELD DELEGATE.

5. FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE COMMUNICATED AS SOON AS AVAILABLE. DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM UNDRO DIRECTLY PREFERABLY BY TELEX (28148 UNDR CH) OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AND VALUE.

ESSAAFI UNDRO GENEVA 28148

UNDRO 87/0551

ECUADOR - EARTHQUAKE
UNDRO SITREP NO. 4
14 MARCH 1987

1. THE UNDRO FIELD DELEGATE, HAVING NOW RETURNED QUITO FROM TWO EXTENSIVE FIELD MISSIONS TO THE STRICKEN AREA, BOTH BY PLAN, AND ALSO OVERLAND, HAS REPORTED FOLLOWING SITUATION:

2. FIVE PROVINCES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED NAMELY PICHINCHA, IMBABURA, CARCHI, NAPO AND PASTAZA. THE WORST HIT ARE NAPO, PICHINCHA AND IMBABURA.

3. HUGE MUDSLIDES BLOCKED RIVERS, AND CAUSED NATURAL DAMS, WHICH EVENTUALLY COLLAPSED. THE ENSUING TORRENT OF WATER AND DEBRIS WAS HIGHLY DESTRUCTIVE.

4. FIVE MONTHS HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AS THE TIME SCHEDULE FOR THE REPAIR OF THE INDISPENSABLE OIL PIPELINE AND ROAD SYSTEM WITH RESULTANT SERIOUS ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES.

5. UNDRO DELEGATE ESTIMATES THAT AREAS BETWEEN BAEZA AND LAGO AGRIO PLUS NORTHERN AREAS OF PICHINCHA, CARCHI AND IMBABURA HAVE A TOTAL OF 26,000 PERSONS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE. ADDITIONALLY BETWEEN TWO TO FOUR THOUSAND PEOPLE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR. DEATHS ARE DIFFICULT TO CALCULATE DUE TO THICK MUD COVERAGE OVER AFFECTED AREAS. ACCORDING TO CIVIL DEFENSE 600 INJURED.

6. MATERIAL DAMAGE IS REPORTED AS 1,000 HOUSES DESTROYED, AND 2,000 DAMAGED.

7. 6 CAMPS HAVE BEEN SET UP IN NAPO, PICHINCHA AND IMBABURA PROVINCES WITH TOTAL CAMP POPULATION ESTIMATED AS AROUND 2,000 PERSONS. TENTS BEING SET UP. IN THE NORTHERN SECTOR PLASTIC ROLLS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED COVERING THE NEEDS OF 3,000 PERSONS.

8. EMERGENCY NEEDS

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED NATIONS HAS ESTABLISHED FOLLOWING LIST:

A. 4,000 TENTS (EFFECTIVELY COVERED BY DELIVERIES AND PLEDGES)
B. 12,000 BLANKETS
C. 4,000 KEROSENE STOVES
D. 4,000 SETS KITCHEN UTENSILS
E. 4,000 KEROSENE LAMPS
F. 50 OUTBOARD ENGINES (50-75 H.P.)
G. 800 MT FOOD SUPPLIES TO PROVIDE FOR 26,000 PERSONS FOR ESTIMATED 60 DAYS.

ALL ITEMS CAN BE PROCURED LOCALLY, THEREFORE CASH GRANTS ARE RECOMMENDED. IN THIS CONNECTION UNDRO'S DELEGATE WHO IS REMAINING IN ECUADOR IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST IN THIS RESPECT.

9. THE GOVERNMENT HAS REQUESTED UNDP TO UNDERTAKE AN EVALUATION MISSION TO ASSESS REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS.

10. UNDRO DELEGATE PARTICIPATED IN MEETING INVOLVING ALL UN AGENCIES. HE ALSO MET WITH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND CIVIL DEFENSE AUTHORITIES, EEC REPRESENTATIVE, AND ACTIVE NGO'S.

11. UNDRO FIELD DELEGATE HAS RETURNED TO AFFECTED AREA. FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE CONVEYED SITREP 5.

CONTRIBUTIONS (SINCE SITREP NO. 3 OF 11 MARCH)

1. DONORS WISHING TO DONATE CASH GRANTS FOR LOCAL PROCUREMENT THROUGH UNDRO SHOULD KINDLY TRANSFER FUNDS TO LLOYDS BANK, PLC GENEVA, 1 PLACE BEL AIR, CASE POSTALE 438, CH-1211 GENEVA 11. IN FAVOUR OF UNOG TRUST FUND A/C NO. 183598-01-10 MARKED 'FOR UNDRO ECUADOR'.

15. DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORMED UNDRO DIRECTLY, PREFERABLY BY TELEX (28148 UNDR CH), OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AND VALUE.

ESSAAFI UNDRO GENEVA 28148

(DPR 310 ECU'87(1))

UNDRO 87/0583

ECUADOR - EARTHQUAKE
UNDRO SITREP NO. 5
18 MARCH 1987

SITUATION

1. LATEST REPORT RECEIVED FROM UNDRO FIELD DELEGATE ON THE CONTINUING EMERGENCY RELIEF OPERATIONS CONFIRMS FIGURE OF 26,000 AFFECTED IN AREAS WHERE EARTHQUAKE WAS MOST DAMAGING. OF THESE 13,500 ARE CONSIDERED AS SERIOUSLY AFFECTED 12,500 PARTIALLY AFFECTED. 75,000 REPORTED WITHOUT COMMUNICATIONS.

SHELTER AND TRANSPORT CONTINUE TO BE THE MAJOR PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HEAVILY DAMAGED ROAD CONNECTIONS IN NAPO AND PASTAZA PROVINCES COMPLICATING MOVEMENT OF ASSISTANCE.

EMERGENCY NEEDS

2. MEDICAL NEEDS ARE COVERED (ALSO CONFIRMED BY PAHO) AND FOR THE MOMENT ONLY MINOR FOOD SUPPLY PROBLEMS EXIST. THE FOOD NEED IS REDUCED TO 78 M.T. WHICH BEING SUPPLIED BY WFP. FOOD DISTRIBUTION TAKING PLACE IN LUBUMBAKI, RIO SALADO, AND BAEZ. REQUIREMENTS TENTS, KITCHEN UTENSILS, BLANKETS AND 50 OUTBOARD ENGINES HAVE BEEN FULLY MET. EMERGENCY NEEDS STILL OUTSTANDING IN ORDER OF PRIORITY ARE:

- AIRCRAFT (HERCULES, TRANSALL OR SIMILAR) FOR SHUTTLE QUITO - LAGO AGRIO
- 2000 KEROSENE STOVES
- 2000 KEROSENE LAMPS
- PLASTIC FUEL/GAS STORAGE TANKS 2000 GALLON CAPACIY EACH

3. UNDRO DELEGATE WILL ATTEND COORDINATION MEETING ON 19 MARCH WITH MAJOR DONORS.

4. CONTRIBUTIONS (REPORTED TO UNDRO SINCE SITREP NO. 4 OF 14 MARCH 1987)

1. DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM UNDRO DIRECTLY, PREFERABLY BY TELEX (28148 UNDR CH), OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AND VALUE.

ESSAAFI UNDRO GENEVA 28148

(DPR 310 ECU '87(1))