Nicaragua - Volcanic Eruption Situation Report No.2
1. PROLONGED VOLCANIC ACTIVITY AND EMISSION OF ASH AND LAVA CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO FARMLAND AROUND CERRO NEGRO. LOCAL UNITED NATIONS DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAM WHICH VISITED AFFECTED AREA ASCERTAINED THAT PEOPLE EVACUATED TO TEMPORARY SHELTERS HAD FOOD FOR ONE WEEK ONLY AND LACKED BASIC RELIEF SUPPLIES SUCH AS BLANKETS, MATS AND KITCHEN TOOLS FOR COOKING. AS DISASTER AFFECTED POOR FARMERS WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN THE MIDST OF HARVESTING, EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE WILL BE REQUIRED UNTIL NEXT SOWING AND HARVESTING SEASON (FROM APRIL TO AUGUST 1996).
2. AT PRESENT ASH EXPLOSIONS HAVE CEASED AND VOLCANO ENTERED PHASE OF LOW ACTIVITY. HOWEVER, LAVA FLOW CONTINUES TOWARDS NORTH AT SPEED OF 50 METRES PER HOUR. SWISS DISASTER RELIEF UNIT IN COOPERATION WITH GENEVA UNIVERSITY DISPATCHED TWO EXPERTS FOR ASSESSING STRUCTURAL AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY. THEY ARE COOPERATING WITH NATIONAL AND UNITED STATES EXPERTS IN MEASURING VOLCANIC ACTIVITY AND PLACING INSTRUMENTS FOR SEISMIC DATA.
3. DHA EMERGENCY GRANT OF USDLRS 50,000 BEING USED FOR IMMEDIATE PURCHASES OF BLANKETS, MATS, KITCHEN SETS AND FOOD (LIMITED QUANTITIES OF SUGAR AND MILK). GOVT RENEWS APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL CASH ASSISTANCE FOR THE PROVISION OF:
| QUANTITY | UNIT MEASUREMENT | DESCRIPTION |
AMOUNT (US$)
|
| 100 | UNITS | WHEEL BARROWS |
5,000
|
| 1,000 | UNITS | PROTECTIVE CAPS, BROOMS AND BRUSHES |
2,050
|
| 400 | PAIRS | PROTECTIVE EYE-GLASSES (GOGGLES) |
1,750
|
| 300 | BOXES | DUST FILTERS (MASKS) |
10,313
|
| 400 | PAIRS | GLOVES |
3,250
|
| 52.4 | MT | RICE |
28,800
|
| 23 | METRIC TONS | BEANS |
20,663
|
| 4921 | LITRES | OIL |
5,535
|
| 52.4 | METRIC TONS | MAIZE |
11,520
|
| 13.3 | METRIC TONS | POWDERED MILK |
73,000
|
| 988 | BOXES | SOAP |
7,000
|
| 6.5 | METRIC TONS | SALT |
450
|
| 38.5 | TONS | SUGAR |
21,200
|
| 3980 | GALLONS | DIESEL OIL |
5,500
|
| TOTAL |
196,031 |
4. ALL THESE ITEMS CAN BE PROCURED LOCALLY OR IN THE REGION.
5. NATIONAL AUTHORITIES COPING WITH THE MEDICAL EMERGENCY SITUATION. FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER RELIEF COORDINATION PROGRAM, PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION, PAHO/WHO, WASHINGTON D.C. (FAX NO. + 202 775 45 78).
6. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES (IFRC) AND NICARAGUAN RED CROSS HAVE DISPATCHED A DELEGATE TO THE AFFECTED AREA TO MAKE PLAN OF ACTION FOR REDCROSS AS APPROPRIATE.
7. GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKING EFFORTS TOWARDS PROMOTING PERMANENT RELOCATION OF THE AFFECTED PEOPLE FROM THE AREAS SURROUNDING THE VOLCANO, WHICH HAS UNDERGONE OTHER ERUPTIONS IN RECENT DECADES. INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO SECOND THESE EFFORTS IN REHABILITATION PHASE AND TO STUDY THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVERTING THE AFFECTED AREA INTO A NATIONAL PARK WOULD BE WELCOME (CONTACT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED WITH OFFICE OF UNDP RESIDENT CO-REPRESENTATIVE IN MANAGUA (FAX. NO. + 505 2 666 909).
8. DHA IS PREPARED TO SERVE AS CHANNEL FOR CASH CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE USED DURING IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE. FUNDS ARE SPENT IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS OF U.N. SYSTEM, AND DHA PROVIDES DONOR GOVERNMENTS WITH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION ON UTILIZATION OF FUNDS CONTRIBUTED. FUNDS SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO DHA ACCOUNT NO. CO-590.160.1 AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770, CH-1211 GENEVA 2, WITH REFERENCE: NICARAGUA/VOLCANIC ERUPTION.
9. FOR CO-ORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM DHA-GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF BILATERAL RELIEF MISSIONS/PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE BY ITEM.
TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917.12.34
EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (OUTSIDE WORKING HOURS): +41-22-917.20.10
DESK OFFICER: FABRIZIO GENTILONI, DIRECT
TEL: +41-22-917.35.12
PRESS TO CONTACT:
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22-917.00.23
ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET DIALCOM 141: DHAGVA
DPR 310 NIC'95 (1)