El Salvador: Hurricane Stan, Floods and Volcanic Activity OCHA Situation Report No. 5

Ref: 2005/0174
OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Hurricane Stan, Floods and Volcanic Activity - El Salvador
17 October 2005
Situation

1. The National Emergency Committee (COEN) downgraded the state of alert from orange to yellow nationwide. COEN reports 36,154 persons in 388 shelters at present, which means that 44 % of sheltered population returned home. Persons injured due to the emergency are 190. The number of deaths remains unchanged at 69.

2. The main health problems in the shelters are acute respiratory infections, skin problems, diarrhea, anxiety disorders and bacterial conjunctivitis. These are due to crowding, exposure to stagnant, dirty water, the weather, difficulties with personal hygiene and the loss of loved ones.

3. As of 14 October, 215 schools could not reopen. The Ministry of Education reported 133 schools still being used as shelters, which were still holding 15,900 evacuees. These numbers are falling rapidly as people are returning home.

4. The Government will request authorization from the World Bank to redirect loan funds that were granted to the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2001 to rebuild 7 hospitals damaged by the earthquakes that year. The Bank Mission arriving today will negotiate redirecting the funds that have not yet been exhausted. If the Bank authorizes this measure, the MOH will have the funds needed for repairing damage caused by Hurricane Stan and the eruption of the Ilamatepec volcano. Eighty-seven facilities are damaged: 70 (84%) health clinics, 7 (8%) administrative buildings, 6 (7%) health posts, and 4 (5%) hospitals.

The MOH will receive a budget increase for gasoline to ensure the anti-dengue fever mosquito-spraying campaigns.

5. A preliminary assessment by ANDA (National Water and Sewer Administration) determined that USD 11 million were needed to repair damaged water infrastructure. The funds will be used for developing 69 project proposals for repairing the water distribution network; 44 of these are for the San Salvador Metropolitan Area (AMSS). The priority is to repair the Lempa river system, which includes cleaning the turbines at the intake of Las Pavas water purification plant and pumping stations 1, 2 and 3.

6. COEXPORT (the Exporters Corporation) reported that 50% of export companies of a total of 900 were affected by the disaster, which prevented them from fulfilling customer orders. The delays in some of the non-traditional products such as honey will cause losses estimated at USD 20 million, or around 2% of export sales. Beekeepers have calculated their losses at approximately 20% of their output. The yield will drop by around 625 tons, worth USD1.5 million. Losses confirmed by the livestock sector are: poultry- 221,389 birds, worth USD940,000; cattle- 187 head, worth USD 85,272; pigs- 681, worth USD77,634; and horses- 41, worth USD5,740.

Losses confirmed by the fisheries sector: Small-scale- 619,420 lbs, worth USD342,890. Industrial- 66,000 lbs of lobsters, 21,250 lbs of shrimp, and 50,000 lbs of prawns, worth USD282,725.

National Response

7. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has treated the following numbers of patients: 46,799 in shelters, 390 in hospital emergency services, and 992 in hospitals without walls.

1,642 officials from different SIBASI (Basic Integrated Health Systems) have worked on the emergency. In the Mental Health area, 21,903 people have been seen, 10,000 individually: 4,140 (39%) for supportive therapy, 3,026 (29%) for brief interventions, 2,137 (20%) counseling, and 1,200 (11%) specialized consultations.

8. In the area of environmental sanitation, no waste-related sources of infection have been reported; 1,097 garbage barrels have been distributed to different shelters. Human waste has been handled by installing 1,732 latrines (1:17 evacuees). Drinking water purification is being handled through distribution of chlorine tablets (100,000) and other solutions.

9. The MOH advises that it is necessary to continue to provide treatment and preventive services to the shelter population as well as the population returning home. Care needs to be reinforced in the three departments with the greatest number of evacuees in shelters, through increased human resources and medical supplies.

10. Food continues to be distributed by the mayors' offices, verifying the number of people in shelters and assessing new needs at these facilities.

Also ongoing is the removal of rubble and repair of roads and bridges carried out by the Ministry of Public Works in coordination with the Salvadoran Armed Forces.

11. Specialized commissions have been created for Health, Food Security and Agriculture, with participation from the Government, UN Agencies and international NGOs. The objective of these commissions is to strengthen the mechanisms for the UN, NGOs and Government to work together.

12. The national institutions are preparing consolidated information in anticipation of the arrival of the ECLAC mission on 26 October.

International Response

13. WHO/PAHO

The SUMMA-LSS system continues to operate to systematize national and international donations at a post in the International Fair building and at one at the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Immediate deployment of 7 international Disaster Program specialists to support the MOH and the National Emergency Committee (COEN) took place.

Five teams of professionals and specialists (25 total) were formed to visit the shelters for two purposes: one, to assess conditions there and two, to assist in organizing epidemiological and environmental surveillance, nutrition and food safety, and needed mental health, prevention and treatment services. Special attention was given to disabled persons.

With the participation of the subregional advisor on Mental Health and together with the National Council on Mental Health, the National Secretariat of the Family and the MOH, a plan was developed and instituted to provide psychosocial care, which benefited close to 15,000 victims directly, and recreational activities for children and adolescents.

Together with the MOH, the model of care was redesigned for the volcano shelters in the Santa Ana region, instituting the use of a family clinical record.

A Health and Disaster task force was set up with MOH and NGO participation to coordinate post-emergency actions.

A network of nutritionists was set up to address diet plans and food safety to prevent problems with food poisoning.

PAHO will provide support to the UN from their experience in designing Healthy Homes for the reconstruction phase.

With the Flash Appeal, nearly USD1 million has been raised for the health sector.

PAHO, together with the MOH, is coordinating the assessment needed by ECLAC for the report.

PAHO will be coordinating the environmental risk assessment and the proposals for disaster prevention and mitigation.

Formation of an inter-institutional network of Social and Health Communicators to aid in getting messages out for the post-emergency phase was initiated.

Coordination to include a health perspective in integrated risk prevention efforts, regarding epidemic diseases such as dengue fever, diarrhea, hepatitis, leptospirosis, etc. and including preparation for an influenza pandemic is led by PAHO.

14. WFP

The next cycle of food distributions is being planned jointly with the logistics command center established with the Government and Salvadoran military. WFP has contracted transport to augment the military's capacity and will deliver food directly to shelters and communities in affected municipalities. To date, 304 metric tons have been delivered to 77,000 beneficiaries in 402 shelters and affected communities; rations consist of cereals (maize & rice), pulses, CSB (fortified maize-soy meal) and vegetable oil and from the PRRO 10212 stocks.

WFP together with the Minister of the Interior, National Emergency Committee - COEN, Salvadoran Military (Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff) and the National Family Secretariat presented before a special parliamentary commission a system to monitor the handling of the government's response to the disaster.

The food security working group, chaired by WFP, has finalized the methodology and instruments for the joint UN (WFP-FAO-PAHO)/NGO assessment and will have additional teams in the field by Saturday morning.

15. UNDP

At the request of the Government of El Salvador, UNDP will accompany and fund a mission to the country for a Damage and Loss Assessment mission from ECLAC, which is scheduled to arrive in El Salvador on 26 October. This mission will work under the coordination of the Technical Secretariat for the Presidency and will include experts from other UN Agencies, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank.

The response to the FLASH APPEAL has raised USD1.4 million that will be used for reactivating production capacity and creating housing for affected families. It will also be used for strengthening local warning systems and for local training and organizing. This aid will be coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), local governments and specialized NGOs.

UNDPhas placed at the government's disposition its technical assistance for designing and implementing recovery strategies and programs.

16. OCHA

Two UNDAC team members visited donation warehouses for the second time at the International Fair complex in San Salvador and the international airport in Comalapa. Verification of the functioning of the SUMA/LSS system was scheduled with COEN members. At both facilities, it was confirmed that the quantity of donations has decreased and that distribution continued fluidly thanks to the coordinated system made up of the Armed Forces, Red Cross and Scouts. The flow of donation deliveries and purchases is being handled with transparency, in an orderly fashion. The MOH is rigorously inspecting medicines that arrive, and the Ministry of Agriculture is inspecting grain quality. International donations are supervised by the Customs Department.

The UNDAC team members visited two shelters in sports facilities, one near downtown San Salvador (INDES) and one in the municipality of Mejicanos, in Colonia La Gloria (Olympic village), from where evacuees are now returning. A decrease in the disaster-victim population was observed.

Healthful conditions were observed, with different bathrooms for men and women. The Olympic village kept up its regular sports training programs. In the shelters, the presence of the MOH, Catholic Church and NGOs was confirmed.

Zones at risk for flooding or landslides were visited in the municipalities of San Salvador, La Libertad, Lourdes, Quezaltepeque and Mejicanos. Flooding and landslide risks are still present.

The Red Cross operations center and warehouses were visited, verifying that an adequate donation distribution system is in place and that there is a good relationship with the municipal level of the operation.

Activities to follow up on the sector task forces that were formed following the inter-sector coordinating meetings organized with UNDAC.

The UNDAC team met with the UNDP disaster focal point to coordinate actions around assessing the environmental impact. UNDAC provided a specific checklist for this purpose. UNDP will establish contact with OCHA Geneva for this activity. Similar meeting was held to ensure follow-up to actions with the BCPR (Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery).

17. UNICEF

Distributed chlorine tablets and oral rehydration salts through the MOH, by the SIBASI in Sonsonate, La Libertad, Santa Ana, Ilopango, Usulután, Santiago de Maria and Jiquilisco.

18. CARE

They are serving 39 shelters with 9,000 persons, in particular, women and children- the most vulnerable population. Disposable baby diapers, soap and other hygiene articles have been delivered. Psychosocial care is being given, and aid is being given for building temporary housing and latrines and for cleaning water wells. Shortly, farming tools and inputs will be provided to the population.

19. INTERVIDA

Supported through COEN with UNICEF, UNDP, and the National Secretariat for the Family, for direct aid to shelters in the departments of La Libertad, San Vicente, La Paz, Usulután and San Salvador: USD80,000 was allocated for basic sanitation supplies, food, medicines, and 120 persons, including 12 physicians, 16 nurses, and 4 psychologists. Material resources were also provided: 4 offices, 14 vehicles, 1 truck, 4 warehouses.

20. Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

They are aiding care in 42 shelters in the departments of La Libertad, Sonsonate, Usulután, La Paz and Santa Ana. Distribution has been made of food (rice, beans, sugar, cornmeal), blankets, hygiene articles, cooking utensils, mattresses, and underwear. CRS collaborated by distributing kits with psychosocial materials and in the building of mobile latrines.

Information

21. For further information and inquiries in the field, please contact: Mr. Beat Rohr, Resident Coordinator, EL Salvador, Email: emergenciasv.1005@undp.org, www.nacionesunidas.org.sv/emergenciaelsalvador, Office phone: (503) +22630066, and

22. OCHA/UNDAC El Salvador, Mr. Joaquin Roa Burgos Email: undac.sv@undp.org

Tel: (503) + 70100692

23. OCHA is in close contact with the United Nations' Resident Coordinator in El Salvador and will revert with further information as it becomes available.

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

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer:

Mr. Ricardo Mena
E-mail: menar@un.org
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1455

Press contact:

(GVA) Ms. Madelaine Moulin-Acevedo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 3160
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. + 1-917 367 51 26