Situation
1. The flooding in Ecuador has worsened
during the past ten days. On 24 November 1997, after twenty hours of torrential
rain (195 mm of precipitation), the cities of Guayaquil, Chone, Milagro,
Salitre, Naranjal, El Triunfo, Vinces, as well as vast areas of farmed
land were flooded. Landslides occurred in several areas in the mountainous
region, damaging bridges and blocking several highways.
2. The overall death toll as of 2 December: 44.
National Response
3. The National Civil Defence System is holding regular coordination meetings with the participation of all the institutions involved, in particular at the local level. The Ecuadorean Armed Forces have been assigned the responsibility to carry out all emergency response operations, in coordination with the Civil Defence System, the Red Cross and other NGOs.
4. The Emergency Supply Management System, SUMA from WHO/PAHO is being implemented at the national and local levels to keep track of all donations of emergency supplies as well as emergency grants. The Ecuadorean Red Cross has been assigned the responsibility to manage SUMA by the Coordination Unit of the Presidency.
Dispatch of a United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team
5. A six-member UNDAC team from Latin America arrived in Ecuador during the weekend of 29-30 November 1997 and was briefed by the Director of the Coordination Unit of the Emergency Plan (Presidency of Ecuador), the UNDP/DHA Resident Representative and a representative of WHO/PAHO. The Team was then divided into three two-person groups to establish operation centres in the cities of Machala (covering the provinces of El Oro, Canar and Azuay), Guayaquil (covering the provinces of Guayas and Los Rios) and Santo Domingo de los Colorados (covering the provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabi, Pichincha and Cotopaxi).
6. National counterparts, as well as representatives of the Civil Defence System, are accompanying and providing assistance to the UNDAC members on a permanent basis. This effort will strengthen the local capacity to conduct damage and needs assessment as well as to coordinate international humanitarian assistance.
Preliminary Assessment related to the provinces of Guayas and Los Rios
7. Areas affected in the province of Guayas are: Guayaquil (in particular marginal communities of Guasmo Sur, Bastion Popular, Mapasingue and neighbourhoods of Sauces and Las Orquideas), Duran, Daule, Balzar, Milagro, Yaguachi, Urbina Jado, Salitre, El Triunfo, Naranjal, Samborondon. Areas affected in the province of Los Rios are: Vinces, Quevedo, Pueblo Viejo, Ventanas, Babahoyo, Mocache and Barreiro.
8. Persons evacuated to temporary shelters in these two provinces: approximately 5,800. Housing: 1, 063 houses have been affected. Infrastructure: four bridges destroyed and three at risk of being destroyed. So far, no information is available in regard to the situation of rural communities in areas of difficult access due to widespread inundation.
9.The Minister of Health has established a Disaster Unit which is setting up an epidemiological surveillance system. There are no indications of epidemics at this time but an increase in medical consultations. The vaccination programme of the Ministry of Health continues to be implemented. Vector control programme is operating with special attention in the flooded areas and will need strengthening in the coming weeks.
10. Water supply has been affected in most provinces due to the contamination of wells and interruption in potable water distribution systems. Small collapsible water tanks, portable chlorine production units and other water supply equipment to repair small distribution systems in rural areas are needed and can be purchased locally.
Unmet priority relief requirements (preliminary)
5,000 mosquito nets, 5,000 insect repellents, 5, 000 water containers
5,000 bed sheets, 3,000 jerry cans (10 litres), 1,000 kitchen sets.
30 rubber boats with 20HP outboard motors
Preventive health education programme (estimated at USD 20,000).
Contributions (reported since the situation report no.2 dated 25 November 1997)
| United Nations System | USD | |
| DHA | Emergency cash grant | 20,000 |
| Governments | ||
| Norway | Emergency cash grant through DHA | 20,000 |
| Peru | 4 rubber boats with outboard motors | value not reported |
| United Kingdom | Emergency cash grant through DHA | 100,000 |
11. DHA is prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions to be used during the immediate relief phase in coordination/consultation with relevant organizations of the United Nations system. DHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed. Donors wishing to channel their contributions through DHA should transfer funds to DHA account no. CO.590.160.1 at the Swiss Bank Corporation, Case Postale 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland, with reference: Ecuador - Floods.
12. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform DHA Geneva, as indicated below, of relief missions, pledges or contributions and their corresponding values by item.
Telephone number: + 41 22 917 1234
In case of emergency only: + 41 22 917 2010
Desk Offices: Mr. Erik Haegglund, direct tel: +41-22-917-3299 and Mr. Carlos
Monteiro-Pereira, direct tel: +41-22-917-1383. Contact for medias: Ms M.
Moulin-Acevedo, direct tel: + 41 22 917 2856
Telex 41 42 42 dha ch
Fax: + 41 22 917 0023
E-mail: info at dha.unicc.org