Attachments
GLIDE n° TC-2022-000343-GTM
Summary of major revisions made to emergency plan of action:
Through this Operations Update No. 1, the Guatemalan Red Cross (GRC) aims to inform about a timeframe extension of 1 month, for a total of 5 months (new end date: 31 March 2023), to continue to respond to the effects of Tropical Storm (TS) Julia and floods and to provide humanitarian assistance to the people in the most affected areas without modifying the total DREF budget of CHF 497,017.
This request is based in an analysis carried out by the National Society on the pending activities to be carried out in the communities of Izabal and the extensive and complex process of acquiring goods, specifically differentiated kits, hygiene kits and psychosocial support kits, which are of vital importance for the success of the operation, which are still pending distribution.
In accordance with the above, this extension will allow the GRC to acquire the pending kits and make the corresponding distributions on time, and due to cost reasons, to transfer these acquisitions from the warehouse at Headquarters to the communities of Morales, Izabal.
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the disaster
Tropical Storm Julia formed in the Caribbean Sea, near the coast of Colombia, on 7 October 2022. Julia then strengthened into a category 1 hurricane as it tracked westward the following day in the southwestern Caribbean before making landfall near Laguna de Perlas, on the central coast of eastern Nicaragua, on the morning of 9 October. Julia lost wind intensity while over the rugged terrain of Nicaragua and was downgraded to a tropical storm the same day. It continued to lose strength on 10 October and eventually became a tropical depression near the coasts of El Salvador and Guatemala.
Tropical Storm Julia directly affected Guatemala due to the entry of the outer bands and the strong circulation of humidity and cloudiness, maintaining partial to total clouds, drizzle, and constant and intermittent rainfall in the country. The highest rainfall accumulations were registered in the departments of Petén, Izabal, Alta Verapaz, Quiché, and the north of the west. Consequently, the National Society targeted the departments of Alta Verapaz and Izabal, as they reported the greatest impact.
On 10 October 2022, the Government of Guatemala announced a State of Public Calamity throughout the country due to the damage caused by Tropical Storm Julia.
According to the incident database of the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), in its latest update as of December 2022, 614 floods and 895 mass movement events (landslides, mudflows and lahars) were recorded, affecting 280 municipalities in the 22 departments, where 1,483,946 people were directly affected, 19,542 of whom required some type of assistance.
Finally, according to the Secretariat of Planning and Programming of the Presidency (SEGEPLAN), in its report on damages, losses and additional costs derived from Tropical Storm Julia amounted to Q1,679.7 million, representing 69 per cent of the damage, 18 per cent of the losses and 13 per cent of the additional costs. The total impact on the public sector was Q1,195.9 million and on the private sector Q483.8 million.
Summary of current response
Overview of Host National Society
The GRC continues to implement the operation "Tropical Storm Julia", with funding from the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), in communities in the departments of Izabal and Alta Verapaz, in the sectors of livelihoods, shelter, health, WASH and Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), with a component to strengthen the volunteers.
The GRC has supported the implementation of this DREF Plan of Action through the Delegations of Puerto Barrios, Santo Tomás de Castilla, Coban and Guatemala; both in the response and recovery phase, around 300 local volunteers have been involved in supporting the sectoral response, strengthening their capacities, and linking with the participating communities.
Overview of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in country
Guatemala is home to the country office of the Secretariat of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross mission (ICRC), the representative office of the Spanish Red Cross and the participation of the German Red Cross from the regional office in Honduras.
Through the Country Cluster Delegation’s Disaster Management Coordinator, the IFRC provides guidance and support to emergency response actions carried out by the National Society. In addition, the IFRC’s Americas Regional Office in Panama provides support through a specialized team that assists the different components linked to the emergency: water and sanitation, health, logistics, and disaster risk reduction, among others.
The ICRC carries out joint actions to address operational safety, safer access, operational communication, restoration of family links and health service protection issues through its country office and cooperation area. The German Red Cross, through its delegation in Honduras and its country delegate, performs climate risk studies regarding extreme hydrometeorological events, to prepare early action plans (anticipation).
As of the submission of this operation update, no specific support or contribution for this operation has been received or confirmed, although Partner National Societies (PNSs) are in contact with the National Society.
Overview of non-RCRC actors in country
The Government of Guatemala, through the Executive Secretariat of CONRED, mobilised immediate response teams to some departments of the country, in support of local governments. It also mobilised humanitarian aid for families that were affected by the effects of the rains in previous days to Tropical Storm Julia.
The authorities declared a red alert throughout the country, and it was published in the Official Gazette. The President of the Republic declared a State of Public Calamity throughout the country, for 30 days. The Ministry of Education suspended on-site school classes to protect the physical integrity of the educational community.
The UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs that make up the Humanitarian Country Team coordinated with the CONRED authorities to establish the support mechanisms with which they could support the emergency response.