Action by Churches Together (ACT) Update - Venezuela 2/2000 Venezuela Floods LAVE-01 Geneva, 18 May 2000
Four months after the tragedy Venezuela continues its struggle to overcome the grim consequences of the 1999 floods with the affected population still facing uncertainty. Those who were resettled in other parts of the country have begun to return to their former homes (close to Caracas) occupying buildings or looking for shelter with their relatives without support from the official programs. These people have been driven back by unemployment and the negative consequences of displacement. The government has announced an ambitious plan for the reconstruction. However, its implementation will depend on the results of the next election on 28 May as the political process has overshadowed the reconstruction process. The ACT implementing partners in Venezuela continue to carry out the crisis phase assistance giving priority to those who have not received any support from other organisations. They have requested an extension of the implementation period by two months. Taking into consideration the situation described above, the ACT Coordinating Office has agreed to an extension of the implementation period until the end of May 2000. Following are the areas and number of beneficiaries covered by the ACT implementing partners: Implementing Partners * Departments Families Population Iglesia Luterana Carabobo 154 728 De Venezuela - ILV Miranda Vargas Iglesia Presbiteriana Carabobo 722 3,527 De Venezuela - IPV Caracas Miranda Vargas Anzoategui Accion Ecumenica - AE Caracas 948 4,551 Vargas Total 1,874 8,086 * CEPEXSOL and the Pentecostal Evangelical Union, although included in the Appeal, have decided not to participate as implementing partners. A proposal for the rehabilitation phase is being processed and will be issued shortly. Thank you for your attention. For further information please contact: ACT Co-ordinator, Thor-Arne Prois (phone ++41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone ++ 41 79 203 6055) or Elsa Moreno, Latin America and The Caribbean ACT Appeals Officer, (phone +41 22 791 6420) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide network of churches and their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency response. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ecumenical Centre Phone: ++41-22-791.60.33 150, route de Ferney Fax: ++41-22-791.65.06 1211 Geneva 2 Telex: 415 730 OIK CH Switzerland http://www.act-intl.org distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -