OCHA Situation Report No. 7
Hurricane Iris - The Caribbean
Guatemala / Belize
11 October 2001


Guatemala

Situation

1.  The United Nations Resident Coordinator's office in Guatemala informs
that Hurricane Iris, which landed in Belize on 8 October 2001, brought
heavy rains in the northern parts of Guatemala, particularly the
Departments of Peten, Zacapa and Quetzaltenango, according to the National
Authority for Coordination for Disaster Reduction (CONRED). Emergency
Operation Centers were established in Peten, Coban (Dept. of Alta Verapaz)
and Puerto Barrios (Dept. of Izabal in the Caribbean coast).

2.   The following information on damage/impact has been reported:

  San Luis (Peten)
  8 persons lost their lives
  1,287 families affected
  708 housing units destroyed
  621 housing units damaged
  26 school buildings damaged

  Poptun (Peten)
  1 person injured
  452 housing units damaged
  No electric supplies/telephone services

  Bethel (Peten)
  10 persons injured
  25 housing units destroyed

  Puerto Barrios (Izabal)
  150 persons in temporary shelters

  Punta de Manabique (Izabal)
  The deck/platform partially destroyed


National Response

3.  Damage assessment is underway in Coban, Poptun, Puerto Barrios and
Punta de Managique.

4.  In Puerto Barrios, the Guatemalan Red Cross branch assisted in the
evacuation of the villages of Quetzalito, Laguna and Pinalitos near the
course of the Motagua River, and 240 people were accommodated in shelters
by the departmental authorities and CONRED. Following an assessment, it
was ascertained that only minor damage had occurred, enabling those in the
shelters to return home.


Belize

Situation

5.  According to PAHO/WHO, it is estimated that approximately 50,000 are
likely to have been directly affected (total population of Belize: 235,789
in 1999). There are reports of some communities left isolated,
approximately 3,000 people in the south, due to the damage to roads and
bridges.


6.  The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRC) made a joint Belize Red Cross/IFRC reconnaissance mission by air
and ground on 10 October. Rice, cacao, coffee, banana, corn and papaya
crops have been destroyed as well as most food stocks. The hurricane also
destroyed electricity lines, disrupting pump-delivered water supplies and
posing a health threat.

7.  According to PAHO/WHO, noticeable contamination from flooded septic
tanks, latrines, solid waste dumpsites and oil and gasoline spills has
been reported. The Toledo District Hospital suffered roof damages. The
impact of the hurricane on mental health is apparent in a high level of
distress, anxiety and helplessness among villagers and local authorities
in the affected area.


National/International Response


8.  The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team
arrived in Belmopan on 10 October. (Five members: OCHA, UNDP/El Salvador,
Civil Defense/ Nicaragua, National Disaster Management Office/Haiti and
the National Emergency Management Office/Belize).

9.  Upon arrival, the UNDAC team met with the Disaster Assessment
Committee of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and the
United Nations Disaster Management Team (UNDMT). It was agreed that the
UNDAC team would assist in coordinating /validating damage and needs
assessment, and advising on the identification of donors. Information
gathered by the UNDAC team will be shared with NEMO and UNDMT. Three
members of the Team will participate, together with NEMO, UNDP- Belize and
UNICEF, in a two-day damage and needs assessment mission to the affected
areas of the Stann Creek and Toledo districts in the southern Belize.

10.  The Government of Mexico, through the Ministry of Health, has fielded
two medical teams and post-hurricane medical supplies. USAID/OFDA has
contributed USD 100,000 for immediate relief needs of the affected
population.

11.  Information on contributions to this disaster may be found by
clicking on Financial Tracking on the OCHA internet website,
www.reliefweb.int.

12.  For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA
Geneva, on relief missions/pledges/contributions and their corresponding
values by item. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their
contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardised Contributions
Recording Format, available electronically on OCHA Internet Website at
www.reliefweb.int.

13.  OCHA is 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. OCHA provides donors
with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization
of the funds contributed. Funds should be transferred to:

Bank name:      Chase Manhattan Bank, NY
Address:   International Agencies Branch
1166, Avenue of Americas, 17th floor
New York, NY 10036-2708 USA
A/C name:  United Nations Geneva General Fund
A/C:       485-001802
ABA Code:  021000021 (US Banking Code)
Swift Code:     CHASU33
Reference:      OCHA - Belize - Hurricane Iris


14.  This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int.



Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers (OCHA Response Coordination Branch):
  Mr. E. Haegglund / Ms. M. Kondo
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 32 99 / 1997

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 56
  (NYC)  Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32


distributed by
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International Disaster Information
Volunteers in Technical Assistance
                                          web: www.cidi.org
                                     listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
comments/suggestions/requests to incident@cidi.org