Belize: Storm (Iris) - OCHA-10: 18-Oct-01
OCHA Situation Report No. 10
Belize - Hurricane Iris - The Caribbean
18 October 2001
United Nations International Appeal Launched on 17 October 2001
1. The United Nations International Appeal for Humanitarian Assistance
and Initial Rehabilitation Activities Following Hurricane Iris was
launched in Belize on 17 October 2001, by Mr. David Gibson, Chief
Executive Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and by representatives of
the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and of the United
Nations agencies. Members of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and
Coordination (UNDAC) team, deployed in Belize by OCHA, participated in the
launching of the Appeal.
2. Category-four strength Hurricane Iris swept through the country on 8
October, swelling the sea and whipping up highly destructive 145 mph (233
km/h) winds. The hurricane took its highest toll on the poorest part of
the country where in a matter of days it deprived many of the vulnerable
Mayan and Garinagu families living in the districts of Toledo and Stann
Creek of their traditional means of livelihood, their homes, schools and
health centers. The official figures published by NEMO on 15 October
testify to the following losses:
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
| Dead | 22 |
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
| Houses damaged/destroyed | 3,000 |
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
| Public Buildings damaged | 21 |
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
| Schools | 31 |
| damaged/destroyed | |
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
| Farms damaged or | Over 12,000 acres of |
| destroyed | banana, rice, corn, cacao |
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
| People evacuated during | 11,380 |
| hurricane | |
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
| Health centers/posts | 17 |
| damaged | |
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
| Population directly | 21,568 |
| affected | |
|--------------------------+---------------------------|
Source: National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO)
Objectives of the Appeal
3. The objective of the Appeal is twofold:
- To continue supporting national efforts in the provision of immediate
humanitarian relief for the affected population, and
- To support the national efforts of government and civil society in
short-term mitigation and rehabilitation with special focus on (a)
vulnerable populations facing extreme poverty and exposed to higher risks,
and on (b) the reduction of conditions of marginality.
4. The projects proposed by the United Nations System target the most
affected, and hence the most vulnerable families in the communities
affected by the disaster. They take into consideration the emergency
priorities of the Government of Belize and the information provided thus
far by NEMO.
5. In order to support the rapid recovery of the economy in the affected
areas, the projects will, to the extent possible, procure supplies, food
and labor at the local level. The United Nations agencies will involve
civil society organizations as key implementing counterparts. Strategic
areas of responsibility for individual agencies have been selected
according to the competence displayed in Cooperation Programmes carried
out in past decades in Belize. The projects are also coordinated with
non-UN agency projects, which have already been developed at national
level.
Summary of the Appeal
6. The projects proposed in this Appeal will benefit some 20,000 persons
through specific assistance programmes. A total of USD 1,415,000 is
requested. These funds are needed immediately to provide food, water,
health services, sanitation, housing, education and protection to the
affected population. They also aim to rehabilitate and reactivate basic
social infrastructure such as schools, health centers/posts, community
centers and shelters, and to provide technical assistance for the recovery
of the agricultural, livestock, fishing and tourism sectors.
7. Requirements by UN Agencies
|--------------+----------------|
| UN Agency | Amount (USD) |
|--------------+----------------|
| UNICEF | 300,000 |
|--------------+----------------|
| PAHO/WHO | 330,000 |
|--------------+----------------|
| UNDP | 510,000 |
|--------------+----------------|
| WFP | 200,000 |
|--------------+----------------|
| UNV | 75,000 |
|--------------+----------------|
| Total | 1,415,000 |
|--------------+----------------|
8. Requirements by Sector
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Sector | Agency | Amount (USD) |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Shelter | UNDP | 120,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Education | UNICEF | 170,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Food Aid | WFP | 200,000 |
| | UNICEF | 20,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Child Protection | UNICEF | 75,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Health / Water | PAHO/ WHO | 330,000 |
| and Sanitation | UNICEF | 35,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Income-Generating | UNDP | |
| Activities | | |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Agriculture | | 150,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Fisheries | | 100,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Small Tourism | | 80,000 |
| Enterprises | | |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Disaster Management | UNDP and PAHO/WHO | 60,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Local Human | UNV | 75,000 |
| Resources | | |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
| Total | | 1,415,000 |
|---------------------+-------------------+--------------|
9. The whole text of this Appeal is posted on the ReliefWeb, at
www.reliefweb.int
10. Contact List
|----------+-----------------------------------------|
| Agency | Contact Point |
|----------+-----------------------------------------|
| UNDP | - Bruno Moro |
| | UN Resident Coordinator |
| | UNDP Belize and El Salvador |
| | bruno.moro@undp.org |
| | Telephone: (503) 263 0066 |
| | - Consuelo Vidal |
| | Depute Resident Representative |
| | UNDP Belize and El Salvador |
| | consuelo.vidal@undp.org |
| | Telephone: (503) 263 0066 |
| | - Dylan Vernon |
| | Assistant Representative |
| | UNDP Belize |
| | dylan.vernon@undp.org |
| | Telephone: (501) 822 688 |
|----------+-----------------------------------------|
| PAHO/WHO | - Graciela Uriburu |
| | Representative in Belize |
| | guriburu@blz.paho.org |
| | Telephone: (501) 244 885 / 244 852 |
|----------+-----------------------------------------|
| UNICEF | - Nils Kastberg |
| | Director of Emergency Operations |
| | New York |
| | nkastberg@unicef.org |
| | Telephone: (212) 326 7222 |
| | - Miguel Ugalde, UNICEF Belize |
| | mugalde@unicef.org |
| | Telephone: (501) 820 104 / 820 105 |
|----------+-----------------------------------------|
| UNV | - Cristina Herrero, Programme Officer |
| | cristina.herrero@undp.org |
| | Telephone: (503) 263 0066 Ext. 260 |
|----------+-----------------------------------------|
| WFP | - Judith Thimke |
| | Emergency Coordination Officer |
| | WFP Regional Bureau |
| | judith.timke@wfp.org |
| | Phone: (505) 266 2566 / 266 3937 |
|----------+-----------------------------------------|
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
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web: www.cidi.org
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