OCHA Situation Report No. 3
Ecuador - Floods
11 April 2006


This situation report is based on information provided by the office of
the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ecuador, the United Nations
Emergency Team (UNETE) and the International Federation of the Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies.

Situation

1. Heavy rains and floods continue in the coastal provinces of El Oro,
Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Rios, and Manabi.

2. Since early February 2006, 16 people have died due to floods, 11 of
whom in Los Rios province.

3. According to the latest information, the floods have affected 28,000
families in the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Esmeraldas, Los Rios, and
Manabi. The number of families requiring urgent assistance remains at
11,432 (see previous situation report).

4. On 28-30 March, a WFP needs assessment mission undertaken in
Esmeraldas province found that 35 families have been severely affected
by floods in Las Burradas neighbourhood. Other areas to the north of the
province have also been affected due to the overflowing of Cayapas,
Onzole, and Santiago rivers two weeks ago.  This week, 80 food rations
will be distributed in Las Burradas.

5. In Los Rios province, hundreds of families have been evacuated from
their homes.  According to Civil Defense, 588 of them have been moved to
temporary shelters and to the homes of relatives. So far, a total of
4,041 ha of rice, 215 ha of maize, and 21 ha of cash crops (cacao,
bananas, peanuts) have been lost.

6. Agriculture is the main activity of people living in flood-affected
areas. As long as the water does not subside, farmers will be unable to
produce. As a consequence, the affected families will require food
assistance for three months until their livelihoods are restored.

National Response

7. On 5 April the Government of Ecuador requested international
assistance through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Government is
requesting international donations of food, domestic items, agricultural
tools, clothing, mattresses, or cash to support flood victims and
recovery activities. The Government is also asking for technical and
financial support for the reforestation of upstream river basins and the
conservation and exploitation of mangroves as a preventative measure for
the next winter rainy season.

8. So far, the Government has allocated over USD 33 million to the five
affected provinces for the provision of food aid and relief items,
health and education activities, rehabilitation of infrastructure, and
support to vulnerable families.

9. The United Nations Country Team decided on 6 April, after analysing
the situation, that it would not be necessary to launch a flash appeal,
as UN support to the Government has been appropriate. The UN system will
continue offering technical support until the situation stabilizes.

10. So far, 20,000 food rations (272 MT of foodstuffs) have been
purchased and are being distributed to beneficiaries with funds from the
Contingency Agreement between WFP, the Ministry of Agriculture and
Livestock, the Ministry of Social Welfare, and Civil Defense, as
follows:

|------------+--------------|
| Province   | # of         |
|            | programmed   |
|            | food rations |
|            | being        |
|            | distributed  |
|------------+--------------|
| El Oro     |        1,400 |
|------------+--------------|
| Guayas     |        2,500 |
|------------+--------------|
| Los Rios   |        6,700 |
|------------+--------------|
| Manabi     |        8,500 |
|------------+--------------|
| Esmeraldas |           80 |
|------------+--------------|
| Total      |       19,180 |
|------------+--------------|
| Stock      |          820 |
|------------+--------------|


- Affected families in El Oro and Guayas will receive food rations for
one month (the first distribution was completed last week; the second
distribution will start next week).

- Affected families in Manabi will receive food rations for two months
(the first phase distribution was completed last week)

- The first food distribution in Los Rios (5,300 food rations) was
completed last week and the procurement of commodities to complete a
two-month food aid to this province is underway.

11. The figures of emergency food rations from the above list which have
been already distributed to affected families as per 31 March are as
follows:

|----------+-----------------|
| Province |  # Food Rations |
|          | distributed 1st |
|          |      Phase      |
|----------+-----------------|
| El Oro   |             700 |
|----------+-----------------|
| Guayas   |           1,468 |
|----------+-----------------|
| Los Rios |           5,300 |
|----------+-----------------|
| Manabi   |           2,952 |
|----------+-----------------|
| Total    |          10,420 |
|----------+-----------------|


12. The procurement of an additional 16,643 emergency food rations
(226.3 MT of food) with remaining funds from the Contingency Agreement
(13,000 food rations) and the OCHA Emergency Grant (3,643 food rations)
is underway. The food rations will be delivered to Los Rios and Guayas,
which are the most affected areas, but depending on the situation,
distribution plans might change. The Ecuadorian Red Cross has also been
distributing food rations in the affected areas, in coordination with
the UN.

13. Nevertheless, the quantity of food in the pipeline will be
insufficient to cover the needs of affected families for a three-month
period. With the donations from Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, and the
Red Cross, 60% of the needs are covered. The Government, with UN support
is seeking additional contributions.

14. WHO/PAHO in coordination with the Regional Health Sub-Secretary and
other public institutions has assessed needs of flood-affected families
and in temporary shelters in the most affected areas. In coordination
with WFP, it will distribute supplies to health operation units, mobile
brigades, and hospitals.

15. In coordination with Health and Education provincial offices,
WHO/PAHO will distribute drinkable water in shelters, and will support
health units reactivate their centres in order to produce chlorine, as
well as the implementation of a quality of water vigilance system in
flooded rural areas.

16. Since the floods started in early March, WHO/PAHO has provided
technical support for the organisation and training of Health -
Emergency Operation Committees in the affected provinces through
workshops and the circulation of guidelines.

17. In Guayas province, WHO/PAHO has supported the elaboration of
hospital contingency plans and is now working with the County Health
Council to develop a social communication pilot plan on seasonal
illnesses.

18. UNICEF is working with the Regional Health Sub-secretary and has
provided 153,000 oral re-hydration salt tablets to be distributed in
affected areas. UNICEF is also disseminating information in temporary
shelters about how to cope with disasters. An assessment mission was
undertaken in shelters last week.

19. Due to social tensions and political instability in the country,
assistance to flood victims is weak; the situation is aggravating as bad
weather continues.

International Response

20. The Government of Ecuador has received international humanitarian
aid from:

- Brazil: 14 MT of food (1,002 food rations) on 29 March,

- Venezuela: 40 MT of food and non-food items, the first consignment of
which was received on 1 April,

- Argentina: 4 MT of food and 1MT of non-food items, scheduled to arrive
on 11 April.

21. OCHA is prepared to accept cash contributions to be used for
immediate relief assistance, in support of the UN Resident Coordinator
in Colombia.

22. OCHA remains in close contact with the office of the United Nations
Resident Coordinator and will continue reporting as further information
is made available.

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

Tel. +41-22-917 1234
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
  Ms. Marie Spaak
    E-mail:  spaak@un.org
    Direct Tel. +41 22 917 2163

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Direct Tel. + 41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker,  Direct Tel. +1-917-367 51 26

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