OCHA Situation Report No. 9
Hurricane Michelle - Cuba /Honduras
9 November 2001


UNDAC Team arrives in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Cuba

1.  After making landfall on the southern coast of Cuba on 4 November,
Hurricane Michelle affected Cuba from Pinar del Rio in the east to Ciego
de Avila in central Cuba. About 45 percent of the country, where some 5.9
million people or 53 percent of the total population live, has been
affected by the hurricane.

2.  According to media, 125 high-voltage electric poles were destroyed
cutting off the western part from the eastern part of the country. As of
today, electricity is recovered in the affected provinces as follows:
Pinar del Rio (65 percent), Havana city (85 percent), Matanzas (27
percent), Cienfuegos (46 percent), Villa Clara (65 percent), Sancti
Spiritus (90 percent), and Ciego de Avila and Isla de la Juventud (totally
restored).

3.  Water supply systems have been reportedly restored: 90 percent in
Havana city, 30 percent in Matanzas, 70 percent in Cienfuegos, 80 percent
in Villa Clara, 98 percent in the Isla de la Juventud, and totally
restored in Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila.

4.  OCHA is in close contact with the Office of the United Nations
Resident Coordinator in Cuba.  An inter-agency assessment mission to the
affected area has returned to Havana, and preliminary findings will be
made available shortly.


Honduras

5.  The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team
arrived in Tegucigalpa on 8 November. Upon arrival, the team was met by
UNDP and IOM representatives. The United Nations Disaster Management Team
(UNDMT)  will convene a meeting, under the leadership of the UN Resident
Coordinator, on 9 November. A field visit is scheduled to San Pedro Sula
in the north, where the Permanent Contingency Commission (COPECO) has set
up a Coordination Center for Emergency Operations.


International Response

6.  The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) reports that two
Post-Disaster Appeals were issued following Tropical Storm/Hurricane
Michelle.  The first is for Honduras and Nicaragua for health promotion,
violence, disease surveillance and control, water and sanitation and
information systems, with a total amount of USD 129,000 requested. The
second is for Jamaica and The Bahamas for restored environmental health
conditions and epidemiological surveillance of communicable diseases, with
a total amount of USD 156,000 requested. For further information, please
refer to the Website: www.paho.org/disasters.

7.  The Government of Italy has allocated an emergency grant of USD 30,000
for Honduras through OCHA.  OCHA already allocated an OCHA grant of USD
15,000 and a Norwegian grant of USD 15,000 for Honduras on 6 November.

8.  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 at the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int.

9.  OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be used
for immediate relief assistance, in co-ordination/consultation with
relevant organizations in the United Nations system.  Funds should be
transferred to OCHA account no. CO-590.160.0, Swift code: UBSWCHZ12A at
the UBS AG, P.O.  Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with reference: "OCHA -Name
of Country- Hurricane Michelle-".  OCHA provides donors with written
confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds
contributed.

10.  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


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