OCHA Situation Report No. 1 Bolivia - Floods 5 April 2000
Background - In Bolivia wet season is from December to January. - Droughts and floods are common due to seasonal variations. In 1990, drought affected 300,000 people and floods affected some 100,000 in 1997. Disaster situation - According to the United Nations Resident Coordinator in La Paz, floods and landslides triggered by weeks of heavy rains, during the month of March, affected the south of Bolivia. - The Grande and Vermejo rivers, in the southern Department of Santa Cruz, overran their banks destroying homes, roads and farmland. Before the rains, the area suffered a period of severe drought that reduced crops and livestock. Affected area - Southern region. - Mainly five provinces, in the Departments of Santa Cruz, Tarija and Chuquisaca, have been affected by the flooding, in particular Obispo Santiesteban and Nuflo de Chavez. Population affected/Damage - Preliminary figures: Some 7,000 people have been seriously affected. - Most of their houses have been flooded. - Approximately 75,000 hectares of crops were lost. - Water supply systems and access roads have been disrupted Priority needs - Essentially food and tools. Request for international assistance - The Government of Bolivia has not asked for international assistance. National Response - Government has been providing relief assistance to the victims of this disaster, through the Bolivian Civil Defense. International Response - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has released CHF 80,000 (approximately USD 48,000) from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, for the purchasing of family food parcels, tools and kitchen sets for 294 families (approximately 1,500 people). Telephone: +41-22-917 1234 Fax: +41-22-9170023 In case of emergency: Tel. +41-22-9172010 Desk Officers: Mr. Erik Haegglund/Mr. Carlos Pereira/Ms. Masayo Kondo direct tel: +41-22-917 32 99/13 83/19 97 Press contact: Mr. D. Kiniger-Passigli, direct tel. +41-22-917 26 53 Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -