Guatemala: Floods and Mudslides OCHA Situation Report No. 4

Ref: 2005/0173
OCHA Situation Report No. 4
Floods and Mudslides - Guatemala
16 October 2005

This Situation Report is based on information provided by the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Guatemala and CONRED (National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction).

Situation

1. Coordination of relief operations continues at the national, departmental, municipal and local levels. Information available is being consolidated in order to plan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction phases. Damage and needs assessments are being conducted at municipal level with support from SEGEPLAN (National Planning Secretariat).

2. Based on information provided by CONRED, latest figures of impact as of October 15 are as follows:

On-Site International Response

3. On 13 October, the UN System under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator a.i. held a coordination meeting with 50 international and national NGOs that work as main counterparts to the UN agencies, funds and programmes. The UN System offered to host a web page keeping information up-to-date and coordinating international relief efforts. Mercy Corps was assigned as the focal point among the NGOs.

4. UNICEF
An Emergency Response Plan was elaborated in regards to nutrition to be implemented in shelters and affected communities. Actions towards guaranteeing the rights of children in shelters and affected communities have begun. The latter will be complemented with the help of an international consultant to be hired and training with teachers on the relevant norms. An assessment of damages and needs of sanitary conditions in shelters and affected communities is being carried out.

5. WFP
To date, food assistance has been provided to 86.909 families. A total of 1.724 TM of corn, beans, oil, and fortified mixture of corn and soybeans have been transported in coordination with CONRED and the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry. A total of 53 tons of nutritious cookies arrived in the country coming from WFP Honduras, via land and air. The arrival over the weekend of an additional 15 tons of cookies from WFP Ecuador was expected. Five tons of cookies will also be purchased. On 14 October, distribution of 14 tons in the department of San Marcos was started. The transport by helicopter to isolated locations will be provided by USAID/OFDA.

6. UNDP
Three experts from UNDP/BCPR arrived to support in emergency, assessment, reconstruction, risk prevention and management and housing needs. These experts are supporting the design of strategies and recovery projects in support to the Government and taking into consideration the prioritized areas defined in the Flash Appeal and coordinated by UNDP. A consultant from ECLAC arrived to coordinate the initial preparatory mission for Evaluation of Damages and socio-economic impact as requested by SEGEPLAN

7. WHO/PAHO
The situation room for the Health sector is working and providing emergency sanitation information. SUMA has been installed in the Ministry of Health, CONRED and SASEP and a third expert is reinforcing the installation of the system nationwide. The first reports have been issued. The Ministry of Health and PAHO have dispatched additional staff to the emergency areas and have participated with the UNDAC team in assessment visits to the department of Retalhuleu. PAHO has purchased medicine totalling USD 45.700 upon request by the Ministry of Health. The arrival of the Regional Advisor on Mental Health is expected to help support implementation of an action plan in coordination with the Ministry of Health.

8. UNFPA
UNFPA is working with the Health Ministry and UN agencies designing projects focusing on reproductive health in the framework of this emergency situation. Some 1.271 dignity kids and 7,500 antifungal tubes have been distributed.

9. FAO
FAO had been working with SEGEPLAN on the implementation of a land-use planning project and considering that this secretariat has been assigned to lead the reconstruction program nationwide, FAO through its personnel is supporting the identification of risk zones with maps and aerial photographs and their analysis. Reconstruction plans will be designed with a territorial focus applying the proposed method of the National Strategic Planning System (SINPET). The trained personnel will be very important for the disaster zones.

10. UNV
A mechanism for the constant update of information related to the emergency response is being designed. In order to provide access to this information a web page is under construction (www.pnudguatemala.org/stan). In response to needs identified by the Emergency Operations Committees (COEs) and Departmental Development Councils, teams of UNVs have been established in six departments (San Marcos, Sololá, Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Quiche and Totonicapán)

11. IOM
IOM has assisted the Government in the design of a survey card to conduct a census of the affected population, which has now been approved.

12. OCHA
After conducting several assessment missions in conjunction with WFP, PAHO, SCEP, SEGEPLAN and Vice minister of Housing to the departments of Escuintla, Cuilapa and Jutiapa, and an aerial mission over the southern coastal area, the UNDAC team will continue supporting coordination and information management functions. A main On-site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) has been installed in CONRED's headquarters and an additional one in the UNDP offices. The five-member UNDAC team is working closely with experts in communications, logistics (UNJLC) and Geographic Information Systems. On 14 October, the first environmental report was issued including a preliminary assessment on the topics of water, soils, vegetation, acute threats, natural dangerous processes, and specific problems (corpses, landslides, monitoring and meteorological forecasting).

13. OCHA is in close contact with the Office of the United Nations' Resident Coordinator in Guatemala and will revert with further information as it becomes available.

14. 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 14 55
Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker

direct Tel. +1-917-367 51 26

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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