OCHA Situation Report
Uruguay: Floods
23 May 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This situation report is based on information received from the United
Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team in Uruguay.
SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. Since 1959 Uruguay has been affected by floods; the damage caused by
this year's unusually heavy rains and the resulting flooding has been
extensive, affecting nine departments; the Departments of Durazno,
Soriano and Treinta y Tres have been the most affected. At the height of
the flooding more than 12,000 people were evacuated from their homes
with an estimated total of over 110,000 people affected to some degree,
many of these are the chronically poor and vulnerable groups (children,
women and elderly).

2. The flood levels have reduced significantly, from 12.5 to 6 meters in
some areas, allowing for people to begin returning to their homes and
begin the process of clean-up; the lower flood levels have also allowed
authorities to begin more extensive evaluations of damage to physical
infrastructure.

3. Cold temperatures and high winds are forecast for the next 48 to 72
hours; a weather system from the Antarctic is expected to bring
temperatures as low 0C with wind gusts of up to 80 km/h and moderate
rainfall expected; the anticipated conditions have placed the emergency
authorities on a higher state of alert and they will begin providing
additional blankets and other items to the flood affected populations.

4. According to the National Emergency System, the total number of
persons still displaced stands at 1,383

|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
| Displaced people |          |          |          |        |
|by Municipality - |          |          |          |        |
|  22/05/07 14:00  |          |          |          |        |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|                  |    In    |          |w/Family &|        |
|                  | shelters |          | Friends  |        |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
| City/Department  |  Adults  | Children |          | TOTAL  |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|     Durazno,     |          |          |          |        |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|     Durazno      |       326|       382|          |    708 |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|    Mercedes,     |          |          |          |        |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|     Soriano      |        91|       110|          |    201 |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|  Villa Soriano,  |          |          |          |        |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|     Soriano      |         2|         2|          |      4 |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|  Treinta y Tres  |        28|        42| Est: 400 |    470 |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|
|      TOTAL       |       447|       536| Est: 400 |  1,383 |
|------------------+----------+----------+----------+--------|


NATIONAL RESPONSE

5. The response continues to be managed in a rapid and efficient manner
by both the municipal/departmental and the national authorities; the
design of the National Emergency System - SNE, allows for coordination
to be led by the departmental authorities which request support at the
national level as required.

6. The National Institute for Food Assistance (INDA) continues to
provide thousands of hot meals a day to all of the evacuated
populations. INDA is also providing dry rations for other affected
families, the 15 day family rations include Rice, Wheat Flour, Maize
Flour (Polenta), Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Dried Milk Powder (Fortified with
Iron) and Lentils; a total of 80 metric tones has been utilised and
distributed since the crisis began. The logistics for the distribution
of the food items is coordinated with the military which provide the
logistics resources whilst the local authorities manage the distribution
locally.

7. There continues to be no reported increase in prevalent diseases;
however the contamination present in affected areas does however pose a
risk and an increase in waterborne diseases and disease from flood
related vectors is possible.

8. Damages in the agricultural sector are limited; there have been
initial reports of minor losses in the rice, soy, maize and sorghum
harvests, however the Ministry of Agriculture has stated that it appears
that the losses are limited to a reduction in the quality of the grain
and not on the expected harvest volumes. It is important to note that
the maize and sorghum harvests are utilised primarily for animal feed
whilst rice and soy are cash crops principally destined for export.
There were also initial press reports of thousands of cattle killed by
the floods, however it later turned out that many cattle were displaced
by the flood waters from their pastures and later found alive in
different pastures & paddocks. The Ministry of Agriculture is collecting
detailed information via their departmental offices and should have a
preliminary damage report by the end of the week.

9. According to press reports the Ministry of Transport and Public Works
has announced that USD$5 million will be made available for the repair
of damaged roads and transport infrastructure.

10. Telecoms Sans Frontieres has determined that whilst there were
interruptions in electrical supply and communications, services have
been completely restored and are functioning normally.

UN AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

11. UNDAC together with UNDP/BCPR, TSF and IFRC carried out two
additional additional field assessments to Soriano (Dolores, Villa
Soriano) and Paso de Los Tores in Tacuarembo over the past few days;
these are areas that were affected to a lesser degree: The missions
finding were similar in that the local and national authorities have
managed the crisis competently and are moving into the recovery phase,
the missions also highlighted the need to incorporate disaster risk
reduction into the local development plans and to relocate flood
vulnerable populations to more secure land and housing.

12. The United Nations System has provided local teams and international
teams of experts and immediate support through the provision of cash and
non-food items that include the following:

- UNDP: USD$100,000 for response and recovery; a UNDP/BCPR Expert on
Early Recovery has arrived in country and is working with the UNDAC team
and UN Agencies to establish a recovery framework and the transition
from relief to recovery activities. Of particular importance is to
review the impact of the floods on the livelihoods of the affected
populations and also to incorporate risk reduction and management into
the recovery plan.

- OCHA: Provided a Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team and
$30,000 for immediate relief needs.

- UNICEF: Is finalizing the deliveries of blankets, diapers, hygiene
products, mattresses, school supplies to affected areas and is looking
at the possibility of also providing psycho-social support.

- UNFPA - UN Population Fund: is providing USD$50,000 worth of hygiene
and health related items and have also expressed interest in providing
psycho-social support.

- FAO has conducted field assessments and is awaiting evaluations of
damages in the agricultural sector from the departments to determine
future actions.

- UNESCO will send evaluation teams to the field this week to look
particularly at damages to cultural and archeological sites; teams will
include a specialist in water; based one the teams findings UNESCO will
determine whether funding will be required from their HQs for recovery
projects.

- PAHO/WHO; continues to support the Ministry of Health in the
management of the emergency and have also offered the SNE training and
support for the installation of SUMA/LSS commodity tracking
software/system.

- WFP - World Food Programme: has provided a logistics officer as part
of the UNDAC team to assist in evaluation of the humanitarian assistance
supply chain and is also providing assistance on the assessment of the
food security situation.

- TSF: Telecoms Sans Frontieres; continues to support the UNDAC and UN
teams in ICT related requirements and have also concluded an evaluation
of the floods impact on the telecommunications network.

- Joint UNEP/OCHA Environmental Unit is supporting the operation with an
evaluation of the potential environmental impact and secondary risks as
a result of the flooding.

13. International donations include:

- USAID/OFDA provided $50,000 in immediate assistance.

- The government of Japan provided $90,000 worth of, mattresses,
blankets and shelter material.

- Venezuela: blankets, clothing and non-perishable food items.

- The government China has provided assistance.

- The Inter American Development Bank has made $15 million available,
through the reorientation of already approved loans.

- The government of Argentina has provided 1,000 blankets and a team of
three "White Helmets(Cascos Blancos)"

14. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies mobilised a Disaster Management Officer and Regional
Intervention Team members. An emergency donation of $100,000 has been
allocated to support the Uruguayan Red Cross and for provision of
kitchen kits, including stoves and kerosene fuel, and psychosocial
support. (Psycho-social support will be provided in coordination with
the Catholic University)

15. The World Society for Protection of Animals who deployed a regional
technical advisor has completed their field evaluations and concluded
that there has been no significant impact on animal husbandry and has
offered technical assistance to national authorities on a disaster risk
reduction plan specifically in the area of animal husbandry in
emergencies.

COORDINATION

16. The National Emergency System (SNE) is in charge of the operational
coordination at the national level under the leadership of the Secretary
of the Presidency (Pro Secretario de la Presidencia). Coordination at
the departmental and municipal levels is managed by the local
authorities with the participation of the various ministerial/sectors,
i.e. Social Services, Health Dept., Education Dept., Water & Sanitation,
Police, Fire-Department, Army, etc.

17. The Coordination Centre established at UNDP continues to function
well and has been the platform for reception and dissemination of
information to the various response & recovery actors.

18. The UN System in country has been working to ensure interagency
coordination through updates and regular meetings and is providing
ongoing contact and coordination with relevant ministries and national
and departmental authorities.

19. A general coordination meeting with national authorities, UN
Agencies, NGOs and other relevant actors representing the various
sectors will be held on 23 May at the UN Offices. The objective of the
meeting is to create a coordination platform for the various sectors via
the formation of working groups per sector.

NEED FOR ASSISTANCE

20. The majority of immediate emergency needs have been addressed
through the national and departmental emergency structures, a large
outpouring of national solidarity, and the immediate international
donations received.

21. The SNE has stated that donations of clothing should be suspended as
the volume of clothes donated has placed a strain on the logistics
supply chain.

22. Immediate needs stated by local and National Authorities are;

- Psychosocial support / counseling

- Mattresses (beds), blankets, furniture

- Kitchen Utensils - Construction Material: Cement, Roofing material,
lime, paint

- Cleaning supplies: Chlorine Bleach, disinfectant etc.

- School Supplies: Books, notebooks, markers, pens (2,500 kits)

23. In water and sanitation, control and disposal of vectors and
decontamination of homes and ongoing public awareness and education
campaigns should be continued and strengthened.

24. In livelihood and recovery; there are reports of loss of property
and goods by small- businesses in all of the affected areas. Support to
these small businesses, via cash grants or soft credit schemes to
quickly reestablish economic activity in the affected communities is
vital. Initial estimates suggest approximately 100 small businesses in
Treinta y Tres and Durazno require assistance assessments of Mercedes
are ongoing. Artisan trades such as small scale fishermen have also
reported loss of equipment and the negative impact of the floods on
their industry.

25. Recovery planning should include efforts to address risks,
vulnerability reduction and enhancement of local capacities to respond
and cope with crisis. Actions include the establishment and/or
completion of Departmental Emergency Coordination Centres, creation of
greater national coordination capacity, the mapping of risks and
vulnerabilities by hazard and overall strengthening of coordination,
contingency planning and response capacity within the departmental and
national structures.

Contact Details:

In case of emergency only:
  Tel. +41-22-917 20 10 Tel: +1-917-367-9960

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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