OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Tropical Storm Gamma - Honduras
22 November 2005


Situation

1. Between 18 and 20 November, heavy rain was registered in the
Caribbean coast of Honduras brought by the passage of Tropical
depression Gamma, which later dissipated as it continued towards the
north.

2. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (COPECO), as
many as 20 people died and 13 people have been reported as missing.
About 12,000 people were forced to evacuate to temporary shelters. The
departments of Atl=E1ntida, Colon, Cortes, Gracias a Dios and Yoro
received the brunt of the impact.

3. Assessment of damages is still on going. However, according to
preliminary information, damages to transport infrastructure seem to be
particularly high. Several national roads have been cut-off and at least
a dozen bridges have been damaged or destroyed. As a consequence, access
to several communities has been interrupted.  Damages to water treatment
facilities and distribution systems have also been reported in the city
of Progreso as well as in at least 20 communities.

National Response

4. COPECO has been leading national relief efforts and providing
assistance to the affected population. Boats and helicopters were used
to rescue cut-off residents. As rainfall eased, U.S. Blackhawk and
Chinook helicopters began carrying 140 tonnes of food and other supplies
to 50,000 victims in indigenous communities on the Caribbean coast.
Honduran authorities cautioned that dozens of coastal communities
remained cut off. Among them were towns in the Gracias a Dios region
near the Nicaraguan border, an area already hit by the previous Tropical
Storm Beta and weeks of heavy rains.

International Response

5. Although there has been no request for international assistance from
the Government of Honduras to date, the United Nations system, including
through the World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization
(WHO)/Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF), has initiated response activities. The local
UN Emergency Technical Team has been activated and is maintaining
coordination meetings.

6. OCHA will remain in contact with the Office of the United Nations'
Resident Coordinator in Honduras and will revert with further
information as it becomes available.

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

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: +41-22-917 2010

Desk Officers:
Mr. Ricardo Mena  +41-22-917 1455

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker direct Tel. +1-917-367 51 26

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