DHAGVA - 98/0140
GENERAL SITUATION
1. According to the UNDP/DHA Resident
Representative in Ecuador, floods, sea surge and mudslides, that have been
affecting the country since November 1997, as a consequence of the El Nino
phenomenon, continued during the first weeks of January 1998. With the
beginning of the rainy season on the coastal region, the situation might
get worse.
2. Following reports from the National
Meteorologic Institute, the precipitation registered over the last few
weeks show an increase of approximately 1,000 per cent, compared with the
normal rainfall average for this period of the year.
3. Presently the coastal region is facing
recurrent flooding. Over the last two weeks, the most affected areas have
been: Santa Lucia, Playas, San Isidro and Posorja in the Province of Guayas,
Huaquillas and Santa Rosa in the Province of El Oro, Manta, San Mateo
and Puerto Lopez in the Province of Manabi.
4. The UNDP/DHA Resident Representative
reports that, since October 1997,75 people were registered dead and approximately
13,500 were evacuated and placed in 250 temporary shelters. Some 4,000
houses have been damaged, of which 508 destroyed.
ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
5. According to the Ministry of Public
Works, 73 roads (including some of the countries' main roads) have been
blocked or are in very bad condition. Approximately 23 bridges have been
destroyed. The damage to the road infrastructure has been estimated at
USD 300 million.
HEALTH
6. Following reports from the Pan American
Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the Ministry of Health has been providing
medical assistance to the evacuees in the temporary shelters and is carrying
out a permanent epidemiological control in the affected areas. The situation
is considered to be within normal levels. The main problem continues to
be the provision of fresh water. Two experts from PAHO/WHO are assisting
the national authorities on the improvement of water quality.
AGRICULTURE
7. In the agricultural sector, according
to the figures provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry
of Agriculture, until December 1997, approximately 46,300 Ha of crops (rice,
bananas, maize, sugar cane and shrimp farms) were destroyed. About 50 to
95 per cent of the coffee, cocoa and fruit crops have also been destroyed.
NATIONAL RESPONSE
8. The El Niño Emergency Plan Coordination Unit of the Presidency of the Republic, established, at the beginning of 1998, with the technical assistance of the UNDP and the DHA Regional Office in Ecuador, a local team of experts on disaster and needs assessment. This team will continue the work carried out by the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) six-person team, deployed to Ecuador from 29 November to 12 December 1997.
9. The Supply Management Programme (SUMA), has been established in the country. The Ecuadorean Red Cross, through the Emergency Plan Coordination Unit of the Presidency of the Republic, has been managing this Programme with the technical assistance of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).
10. Contributions reported to DHA since DHA situation report no.4, of 10 December 1997.
| UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM |
USD
| |
| UNESCO | Rehabilitation of education centres and capacity building for the rehabilitation of the agricultural sector |
100,000
|
| GOVERNMENTS | ||
| Japan | Tents, blankets and other relief supplies |
70,000
|
| Korea | Medicines |
20,000
|
| France | Emergency Cash Grant through the Fundacion Ecuatoriana Populorum Progreso, FEPP |
42,000
|
| Canada (ACDI/CIDA) | Capacity building, information analyses through PAHO/WHO |
20,000
|
| Spain | Pts 10 million in Logistics/medicines |
65,789
|
| NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS | ||
| MAP Intl. | Medicines (through the Hospital Voz Andes) |
+++
|
| Winthop/ Sanofi | Medicines |
10,000
|
+++ value not available
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.
12. 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.
13. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform DHA Geneva, as indicated below, of relief mission, 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 Officers: 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
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS +