Caribbean: Storm (Michelle) - OCHA-11: 19-Nov-01
OCHA Situation Report No. 11
Hurricane Michelle - Honduras / Nicaragua
19 November 2001
Honduras
Situation
1. The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team,
in country since 8 November, reports that two communities, La Lima in the
department of Cortes and La Mosquitia in the department of Gracias a Dios,
continue to suffer from flooding caused by Tropical Storm Michelle some
two weeks ago.
2. According to the Permanent Commission of Contingencies (COPECO),
61,051 people have been affected by the storm. The impact by this storm in
the six departments is as follows:
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
| Department | Total | Affected | Percentage of|
| | Population| | Affected |
| | | | Population |
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
| Atlantida | 303,864 | 6,599 | 2.17 |
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
|Colon | 192,889 | 1,878 | 0.97 |
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
| Gracias a | 46,762 | 9,530 | 20.38 |
| Dios | | | |
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
| Islas de | 116,175 | 350 | 0.30 |
| la Bahia | | | |
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
| Cortes | 834,776 | 20,453 | 2.45 |
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
| Yoro | 340,251 | 22,241 | 6.54 |
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
| Total | 1,834,717 | 61,051 | 3.33 |
|------------+-----------+----------+--------------|
3. Initial assessment shows that 51,000 farming units (manzanas) of
cultivated area have been affected. The Secretaría de Agricultura y
Ganadería is in the process of finalizing its damage assessment.
National Response
4. The Government of Honduras initially assigned 1.5 million lempiras
(approximately USD 95,000) for humanitarian assistance to the affected
municipalities.
5. COPECO has been operating an air-bridge from la Ceiba to the
Department of Gracias a Dios since 12 November. Food, medicines, clothing,
blankets and mattresses are being provided to the affected population in
the communities of Palacios, Aguas, Bruce Laguna and Sangrelaya in the
Mosquitia region. (source: www.copeco.hn).
6. COPECO has agreed to transfer resources from its Emergency Fund to the
Secretaría de Obras Públicas, Transporte y Vivienda and to the Fondo
Hondureño de Inversión Social (FHIS) to repair damage to roads, bridges,
schools and health centers.
7. The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with PAHO/WHO, are focusing
on epidemiological surveillance, maintenance of drinking water quality,
medical care in the affected areas, capacity-building for the management
of psycho-social assistance and psychological assistance for the affected
population.
International Response
8. The Government met with the international community on 15 November to
discuss an overview of the damage assessment caused by the tropical storm
carried out by the Government, the UN System, including the UNDAC team.
COPECO stressed the need to strengthen its response capacity.
9. The following new cash/in-kind contributions have been reported:
|--------------------+-------------------------+---------|
| Donor | Type | Amount |
| | | USD |
|--------------------+-------------------------+---------|
| United Kingdom | Cash, through CARE, | 564,000 |
| | Save the Children and | |
| | Tear Fund | |
|--------------------+-------------------------+---------|
| Spain | Cash | 63,600 |
|--------------------+-------------------------+---------|
| OPEC Fund for | Cash through OCHA | 100,000 |
| International | | |
| Development | | |
|--------------------+-------------------------+---------|
| CARE | 10,000 gallons of water,| (value: |
| | jerry cans and water | 50,000) |
| | purification tablets | |
|--------------------+-------------------------+---------|
| World Vision | Cash | 50,000 |
|--------------------+-------------------------+---------|
Nicaragua
10. The latest information on the impact of the storm in Puerto Cabezas,
Waspan and Rosita in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) shows:
- 24,866 people affected, 3,349 houses damaged and 7 bridges
damaged/destroyed (source: Civil Defense)
- 7,000 hectares of staple crops lost - equivalent to 80 percent of crops
(source: WFP)
11. As a result of a WFP assessment mission to the North Atlantic
Autonomous Region (7 -11 November), a list of targeted communities for
food assistance has been elaborated. WFP plans to send a total of 120 MT,
which will provide some 17,500 people with two-week rations of maize and
vegetable oil. The main obstacles to food distribution in the area are
related to the insufficient basic infrastructure, including road networks
and the necessary requirements of river transport. ????????????????.
12. OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be
used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination/consultation with
relevant organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details
please contact the Desk Officers indicated below. OCHA provides donors
with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization
of the funds contributed.
13. 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 Standardized Contributions
Recording Format, available electronically at the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int.
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:
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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