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El Salvador

El Salvador: Floods Emergency Appeal No. MDRSV002 Operations Update No. 1

Attachments

GLIDE no. FL-2009-000238-SLV

Period covered by this Operations Update: 17 November to 17 December 2009

Appeal target (current): CHF 1,701,195 (USD 1,681,039 or EUR 1,127,553);

Appeal coverage: currently approximately 62%; however, further donor contributions are now being registered. The donor response list will be updated in the coming days.

Appeal history:

- This Emergency Appeal was initially launched on 17 November 2009 for CHF 1,701,194 (USD 1,681,039 or EUR 1,127,553) for 9 months to assist 10,000 beneficiaries, as well as for CHF 173,262 for the Shelter Cluster coordination.

- Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF): CHF 182,501 (USD 180,614 or EUR 120,783) was initially allocated from the Federation's DREF to support the Salvadoran Red Cross Society to respond. The Canadian government through the Canadian Red Cross and the Italian government have generously replenished the DREF funds allocated to this emergency.

Summary: On 7 November 2009, the passing of Tropical Storm Ida and a low pressure system caused heavy rain, floods and landslides throughout the country affecting approximately 15,000 families (75,000 people). On 9 November 2009, the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly declared a state of emergency. Based on the situation, this Emergency Appeal responds to a request from the Salvadoran Red Cross Society (SRCS), and focuses on providing support to ensure an appropriate and timely response in delivering assistance and relief in the following sectors: basic non-food items, shelter, emergency health and care, water and sanitation and hygiene promotion and rehabilitation of livelihoods.

During this reporting period the Salvadoran Red Cross Society has responded to the emergency by providing essential relief items including blankets, kitchen kits and hygiene kits to 2,000 families as well as safe drinking water and initial psychosocial support. Additionally, the SRCS is carrying out detailed assessments, in coordination with other agencies in the field, to determine the exact needs and further activities.

To date, the American Red Cross, the Andorran Red Cross, the British Red Cross, the Canadian government, the Canadian Red Cross, the Czech government, the Finnish Red Cross, the Irish government, the Italian government, the Japanese Red Cross Society, the Netherlands government via the Netherlands Red Cross, the Norwegian Red Cross, the Swedish Red Cross and the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent have generously contributed to this appeal with cash and in-kind relief items. Additionally, the employees of the World Health Organization in Geneva contributed to this emergency appeal. The Federation has also just received a positive response to a recent application to the European Commission for Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) to support this operation

On behalf of the Salvadoran Red Cross Society, the International Federation would like to thank all partners and donors for their quick and generous response to this appeal.

This operation will be completed by the end of August 2010. A Final Report will be made available by the end of November 2010 (three months after the end of the operation).