Ecuador: Floods OCHA Situation Report No. 4

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2006/0066
OCHA Situation Report No. 3
Ecuador - Floods

This situation report is based on information provided by the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ecuador and the UN Emergency Technical Team (UNETE).

Situation

1. Weather conditions are changing, but some rivers continue to have above normal water levels.

2. According to the International Research Centre on the El Niño Phenomenon (CIIFEN), rains will be scarce in the coastal areas and the north of the country until June.

Impact

3. As of 13 April, 11,534 families of some 28,000 families affected by the floods and rains had been identified as being in need of humanitarian assistance, as follows.

A WFP Team continues to assess affected areas in the provinces of Los Ríos, El Oro and Guayas.

4. With the resumption of the school year in coastal areas on 17 April, many families have had to move out of schools that were being used as temporary shelters, but some schools are still being used as such. This is affecting the resumption of classes. In the next days, the ministries of Health and Education, Civil Defense and the Ministry of Social Welfare will relocate families elsewhere.

5. In Los Ríos Province, the rains have decreased in intensity and frequency, but the situation is aggravating with the appearance of health problems. A total of 369 cases of dengue fever and several cases of typhoid fever have been reported. Sixty marginal urban neighbourhoods and districts are particularly affected. The regional government administration and the Malaria Eradication Service have carried out fumigations in some areas, but flooded areas have not been fumigated.

In Quevedo, Babahoyo, Vinces, Baba, Urdaneta, and Montalvo counties, mosquitoes, frogs, and snakes are proliferating in stagnant water.

In the areas of 21 y 22 de Noviembre, dozens of cane and wooden houses are under stagnant water and mud. El Pantano neighborhood is the most affected, houses are still under 50 cm of water and families that left their homes are living with relatives or friends. Twenty-five families are sheltered in a youth rehabilitation centre managed by a Foundation.

6. In El Oro Province, heavy rains in the highlands have weakened El Calvario hill, putting hundreds of houses at risk. Landslides have affected Portovelo, where hundreds of families are also at risk but do not want to be relocated. There is a shortage of drinkable water as a landslide has damaged the pipe system. A total of 962 cases of dengue fever have been reported.

El Oro Municipality announced that the construction of a 400m retaining wall would start next month to prevent Rio Zarumilla from overflowing.

7. In Manabí Province, 919 cases of dengue fever, 29 cases of leptospirosis, and 18 cases of malaria have been reported. In addition, 75% of the public schools face health and hygiene problems, such as lack of safe drinking water, latrines, and mosquito-borne diseases.

8. In Guayas Province, 1,411 cases of dengue fever, 69 cases of hemorrhagic dengue fever, and 201 cases of malaria have been reported.

National Response

9. Since early March, WFP has distributed emergency food rations to flood affected families as follows:

10. A total of 400 food rations were elaborated with the Government of Venezuela's 40 MT food donation in WFP's provincial warehouse in Guayaquil.

11. The Government of Argentina's 4 MT food donation (2,5 MT rice, 1 MT vegetable oil, and 0.24 MT powder milk) and 1 MT donation of non-food items (water purifying tablets, oral rehydratation salts, tents, shovels, and blankets) were delivered to WFP's provincial warehouse in Guayas. A total of 399 food rations were elaborated.

12. WFP is distributing these food rations and those procured with OCHA's Emergency Grant in the flood affected provinces in coordination with the Emergency Operations Centre (COE).

13. WHO/PAHO has been supporting the Ministry of Health for activities such as the monitoring of water quality and disease prevention and control. WHO/PAHO has purchased medicines for dengue fever, hemorrhagic dengue fever, leptospirosis, and other illnesses, as well as 22,000 first aid kits, 5,000 water quality testing reagents, and 12,000 water containers, which together with medicines donated by Venezuela, are being distributed in coordination with Civil Defense and the Regional Health Sub-Secretary. A Supply Management System to manage donations of health supplies and medicines has been activated in Guayas and Manabí provinces.

14. WHO/PAHO will support the ministries of Health and Education to activate a maintenance protocol regarding hygiene measures in public schools (latrines, water tanks, snack bars). Guayaquil municipality has installed 800 latrines in several schools.

International Response

15. The Government of Ecuador has received international humanitarian aid from Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela.

16. Emergency Grants from Norway and OCHA were allocated to the UN Resident Coordinator's office to support the UN's response.

17. The Ecuadorian Red Cross has received contributions from USAID - for a safe water project in flood affected areas in Los Rios and Guayas provinces - and AECI - for a fumigation project in Manabí province.

18. ECHO has made contributions to WFP and WHO/PAHO.

19. OCHA remains in close contact with the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and will continue reporting as further information is made available.

20. This situation report, together with the information on contributions and other ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int

MAP: Ecuador: Floods - Situation map

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