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264,319 Swiss francs have been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Ecuadorian Red Cross (ERC) in delivering immediate assistance initially for an approximate 1,025 families.
Summary: Ecuador’s southern region has gone for four months without rain. The province of Loja is the most affected province due to this drought. Given this situation, on 8 May 2013, during a meeting with the provincial Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), a contingency plan was presented for an immediate response to provide water for human consumption and use in the agricultural and livestock activities in the affected cantons of Zapotillo, Celica, Chaguarpamba, Olmedo, Paltas, Calvas, Sozoranga, Espíndola, Catamayo, Macará and Puyango.
Considering that the provincial economy is completely based on agricultural and livestock, the rainfall that is 72 per cent below normal has caused losses in the corn, peanut, and bean crops and there is a high scarcity of food and foliage for cattle. According to the forecast report from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMHI), rain is not expected in upcoming days; clouds with misty rain in the evening and fog are expected.
As part of its response plan, the Ecuadorian Red Cross (ERC) has conducted, in coordination with the National Secretariat of Risk Management and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fishing (MAGAP), a Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA) in the most vulnerable communities located in the cantons of Zapotillo, Paltas, Célica and Macará. A total of 1,025 directly affected households have been identified.