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Updated report of the Inter-American Task Force meeting on the floods in Venezuela

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REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN TASK FORCE
Update #2 from INTER-AMERICAN DEFENSE BOARD
Situation

  • Current death toll estimated at 7,000, but as many as 25,000 feared dead.
  • Approximately 150,000 displaced persons.
  • International relief organizations mounting efforts, largely through the Venezuelan Red Cross.
  • Venezuelan government recovery efforts being assisted in large part by Venezuelan Armed Forces.
  • Efforts have shifted from initial rescue phase to providing assistance to victims and survivors.

Relief Requirements

Material Requested

  • Bedsheets, towels, mattresses, mats, clothing for children, sanitary napkins food for children, emergency food rations, canned food
  • Large tents for field hospitals;
  • Tents for coordination centers for relief operations;
  • Generators;
  • Water purification equipment, large water containers for transportation and storage of water; desalination equipment, water pumps;
  • Portable latrines;
  • Gas stoves, refrigerators;
  • Chainsaws, shovels, pick axes, machetes, masks, wheelbarrows;
  • Equipment to light large areas at night, beacons for heliports, portable electrical lighting equipment, emergency flares;
  • Flashlights, leather gloves, rubber boots, rain protection clothing, life-jackets; portable communications equipment (HF-VHF);
  • Brush cutters;
  • Temporary shelters;
  • Equipment for temporary bridges;
  • Equipment for clearing of mud and debris;
  • Lifting equipment;
  • Equipment for solid waste treatment.

Medical assistance

Principal medical needs are for the following medicines:

  • Measles vaccines
  • Azitromicina tablets and suspension
  • Ciproflaxicina tablets
  • Cefradoxilio tablets and suspension
  • Aciclovir cream
  • Laratadina tablets and suspension
  • Simvastatina tablets
  • Nimesulide tablets
  • Acetaminofen
  • Albendazol tablets and supension
  • Fluconazol tablets
  • Lanzoprazol tablets
  • Cinnarizina tablets
  • Bromazopan tablets
  • Alprazolan tablets
  • Fentanyl amp.
  • Propofol amp.
  • Tipental amp.
  • Meropenem amp.
  • Vancominina amp.
  • Mothergin amp.
  • Succinil colina amp.

International Assistance to Date

International Organizations

  • Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): US$ 50,000 grant
  • Organization of American States (OAS): US$ 20,000 grant from Inter-American Emergency Assistance Fund (FONDEM)
  • Pan American Development Fund (PADF): US$ 25,000 grant to OAS office in Venezuela
  • Pan American Health Organization (PAHO): US$ 25,000 Emergency Grant
  • UN Development Program (UNDP): US$ 50,000 Emergency Grant.
  • UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): US$ 5,000 Emergency Grant
  • UN Children's Fund (UNICEF): Specialist for psychological support
  • World Food Program (WFP): Fielding mission to evaluate food needs.
  • International Federation of the Red Cross/ Red Crescent: US$ 38,000 released from Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to support relief operations; request made to international community for US$ 3 million for fund to assist 50,000 victims for three-month period.

Governments

  • Canada: US$ 175,000.
  • Colombia: Psychiatric team specializing in victim assistance.
  • Cuba: Aircraft with 40 specialized medical personnel and equipment.
  • Germany: US$ 272,000 emergency aid through German Red Cross.
  • Israel: Medicines.
  • Italy: US$ 500,000 emergency aid credit.
  • Mexico: Mobile hospital, medicines, tents, kitchens, baby food, 190 support personnel.
  • Norway: US$ 50,000.
  • Peru: Aircraft with relief supplies and personnel.
  • Spain: Cash Grant US$ 500,000 in medical supplies, US$ 800,000 credit for infrastructure repairs.
  • Switzerland: US$ 63,000.
  • Uruguay: one C-130 aircraft.
  • United Kingdom: US$ 800,000.
  • United States: US$ 25,000 Cash Grant to Venezuelan Red Cross; 8 military helicopters, 2 CASA-212 aircraft and two Zodiac boats; 35-member military coordination element; UASID/OFDA disaster assessment and coordination team; US$ 435,000 for purchase and transport of relief supplies including: 15,000 blankets, 100 rolls of plastic sheeting, 5,600 five-gallon water cans, ten 3,000-gallon water); US$ 200,000 for local purchase of relief supplies, including 30,000 tetanus toxoid vaccines and 40,000 syringes.

Channeling of In-Kind Assistance

  • Maiquetia Airport serving Caracas still closed to commercial traffic; receiving incoming flights from countries sending emergency assistance.
  • Collection point set up in Miami by Venezuelan Air Force.
  • UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions to be used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination/consultation with relevant organizations in the United Nations system.
  • PAHO serving as coordination agency with international organizations, nongovernmental organizations and private voluntary organizations in Venezuela wishing to contribute medical assistance and/or material. PAHO is also setting up its Humanitarian Supply Management System to assist the Venezuelan Civil Defense in classifying, sorting, inventorying and prioritizing incoming supplies.

Points of Contact

International Relief Organizations

  • Inter-American Development Bank (Mr. Miguel Rivera)miguelr@iadb.org
  • International Foundation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (41) 22-730-4222 www.ifrc.org
  • Organization of American States(Mr. Paul Spencer)Pspencer@oas.org
  • Pan American Development Fund (Mr. Norberto Ambros)nambros@padf.org
  • Pan American Health Organization(202) 974-3520 www.paho.org www.disaster.info.desastres.net/SUMA/
    Dr. Claude DeVille (202) 974-3434
    Dr. Jean Luc Poncelet (202) 775-4578 (fax)

United Nations

  • Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (41) 22-917-1234
    OCHA Desk Officers: Mr. Erik Haegglund (41) 22-917-3299
    Mr. Carlos Monteiro-Pereira (41) 22-917-1383
    www.reliefweb.int
  • US Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)
    Regional Coordinator: Ms. Stephanie Fritz (202) 712-4867
    www.info.usaid.gov/ofda
  • U.S. Southern Command (Miami) Operations Center(305) 437-3722
    Venezuela Disaster Crisis Action Team (Lt Col Dekinder) (305) 437-3533
  • Venezuelan Civil Defense Office (Caracas)(58-2) 662-8476
    (58-2)662-2305

Agencies Accepting Monetary Contributions

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