OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Ecuador - Floods
11 April 2002


Situation

1.  Continuing heavy rains and flooding have destroyed bridges and roads
in Manabi, Esmeraldas, Los Rios and El Oro, damaging more than 9,000 homes
as well as rice, coffee and cocoa crops.  In Manabi, landslides triggered
by heavy rains damaged the coastal resort town of Alajuela, blocking roads
and damaging homes.

2.  The Civil Defense reported the following information about the impact
on persons and housing as of 10 April:

         |--------------------+--------|
         | Dead               |     24 |
         |--------------------+--------|
         | Injured            |      2 |
         |--------------------+--------|
         | Missing            |      1 |
         |--------------------+--------|
         | Homeless           |  2,306 |
         |--------------------+--------|
         | Affected           | 50,197 |
         |--------------------+--------|
         | Families evacuated |  5,080 |
         |--------------------+--------|
         | Houses damaged     |  9,359 |
         |--------------------+--------|
         | Houses destroyed   |     258|
         |--------------------+--------|


National Response

1.  In the province of Manabi, 500 rations, 500 mattresses, and 500
mosquito nets were distributed with the funds assigned by the Ministry of
Social Welfare.

2.  In Esmeraldas, a Meeting was held at the Emergency Operation Center to
coordinate such tasks as road clearance, opening of provincial canals to
release the floodwater and fumigation in the flooded areas, recommended by
the Civil Defense.

3.  In Los Rios, the Damage Evaluation and Needs Assessment (EDAN) team of
the Civil Defense carried out assessment, with the support of the Ministry
of Social Welfare of the province.

4.  In El Oro, the Civil Defense and WFP will start distributing food in
the canton of Santa Rosa.

5.  The Government has not requested international assistance.

6.  This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA 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. Erik Haegglund direct Tel. +41-22-917 32 99
  Ms. Masayo Kondo direct Tel. +41-22-917 19 97
  Ms. Federica D'Andreagiovanni direct Tel. +41-22-917 14 78

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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