OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Uruguay: Floods
11 May 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This situation report is based on information received from UN Agencies 
and Government in Uruguay.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. Uruguay is suffering one of its worst floods since 1959. The damage 
caused by this year's unusually prolonged floods is very extensive. Over 
110,000 people have been affected, mostly poor and vulnerable groups 
(children, women and elderly). Some 12,000 people have been evacuated. 
These figures are likely to rise in the coming hours when the flood 
waters reach low-lying areas (the number of dead currently stands at 
two). Thousands of people abandoned their homes as torrential downpours 
virtually paralysed the country. Floods blocked roads and caused traffic 
chaos.

2. The Government has officially requested the assistance of the United 
Nations to support the relief efforts and further strengthen the 
National Emergency System capacities. The President is visiting the 
affected areas tomorrow.

3. The floods caused severe damage to public infrastructure including 
roads, water supply, sewerage, drainage, power and telephone lines, 
housing, agriculture and municipal buildings, particularly schools and 
health care facilities. A damage assessment is currently underway. 
Emergency needs are being addressed and public services slowly restored. 
Hepatitis and gastrointestinal infection cases may appear in zones with 
no access to safe drinking water. 30,000 people have currently no access 
to safe water.

4. The Departments of Durazno, Soriano and Treinta y Tres have been the 
most affected. Triggered by one week of torrential rains the overflow of 
rivers has caused flash floods followed by landslides.

5. In Durazno, the Yi River has flooded the greatest part of the 
provincial capital. The river is currently 14 meters above its average 
level. The city is facing a serious shortage of running water as the 
supply pumps, which belong to the state company OSE, have also been 
flooded.

6. Thousands of houses have been totally or partially damaged, with a 
large number of them totally destroyed, as well as rural roads and 
bridges. Most of the evacuations took place in poor and populated 
districts, with thousands of people being evacuated to Council shelters 
and sports clubs. Most schools have closed down.

7. Health problems from waterborne diseases and related infections 
continue to be a threat to vulnerable communities and have to be 
prioritised. National authorities from the Health Ministry recommended 
the adoption of extreme hygiene precautions to avoid transmissible 
diseases such as typhus, hepatitis A, and diarrhoeas and skin 
infections.

8. Highway Police reported that many national highways were cut off and 
many local roads remain closed because of river stream levels.

9. Power and communication lines have also been severely affected and 
this, in turn, has disrupted road transport and communications, 
seriously hampering relief efforts.

10. The estimation about the losses on agriculture production and 
livestock amount to millions of dollars.

11. Weather forecasts indicate that adverse climate conditions will 
persist in the region for the next few days. This situation is of great 
concern rendering the situation even more difficult for the people in 
distress.

Displaced people by municipality (souse National Emergency System)
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
|Municipality | Displaced | Displaced | Unregistered |  Total |
|             |   adults  |   minors  | (estimation) |        |
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
| Durazno     |     2,951 |     2,566 |          500 |  6,017 |
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
| Soriano     |       640 |       443 |        1,900 |  2,983 |
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
| Treinta y   |       225 |       225 |        1,040 |  1,490 |
| Tres        |           |           |              |        |
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
| Cerro largo |        41 |        35 |           75 |    151 |
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
| Florida     |        55 |        60 |              |    115 |
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
| Rocha       |        51 |        41 |              |     92 |
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
| Tacuaremb   |           |           |              |     16-|
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|
| Total       |     3,979 |     3,370 |        3,515 | 10,864 |
|-------------+-----------+-----------+--------------+--------|


NATIONAL RESPONSE

12. The Parliament issued a State of Disaster (Estado de Desastre).

13. The Government has allocated a total of US$ 45 millions to assist 
the population affected. The Inter- American Development Bank (IADB) 
will allocate US$ 15 millions for this emergency.

14. Displaced people are being placed in different shelters, such as 
stadiums and sport institutions. Basic supplies are being delivered to 
them, although due to the high number of affected people and the harsh 
weather conditions, additional assistance is needed.

15. The National Hydro-Geographic department is monitoring the water 
level, to determine the potential risk of additional flooding in the 
next days. Drinking water is being delivered by trucks and coordinated 
by the National Water Company and the Army.

16. National Electric Company is providing power, on a priority basis, 
to institutions such as schools, child centres, hospitals and prisons.

17. Local governments are fumigating flooded areas to prevent 
proliferation of the "aedes aegypti" mosquitoes.

18. The Police force is doubling efforts to avoid looting of abandoned 
houses.

COORDINATION

19. UN system is in contact with the national emergency service to 
identify possible areas to assist. 20. OCHA has approved an emergency 
cash grant for US$ 30.000 for the local purchase of relief supplies

21. The IFCR is mobilising a disaster management delegate to evaluate 
the situation.

22. The Government has requested the deployment of an UNDAC team to 
support the authorities, UN system and the humanitarian community in 
Uruguay.

NEED FOR ASSISTANCE

23. Based on preliminary estimations, and depending on the official 
needs assessment made by the authorities, the UN has identified the 
following priorities:

- Provision of humanitarian relief to the poorest and most vulnerable 
people displaced by the flooding (food, basic relief items such as 
blankets, mattresses, etc)

- Provision of sanitary products to avoid disease proliferation 
(chlorine, soap, brooms and cleaning equipment)

- Transportation of relief items to affected localities

Contact Details:

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

Desk Officer
  NYC - Mr. Ignacio Leon-Garcia Tel: + 1-917-367-9960

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Ms. Stephanie Bunker Tel: +1-917-367-5126

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