OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Dominican Republic: Tropical Storm Noel
9 November 2007


This situation report is based on information received from United
Nations Resident Coordinators in country and OCHA Regional Office in
Panama.

HIGHLIGHTS

- The red alert continues to be maintained in 11 provinces and yellow
alert in 14 provinces. Tropical Storm "Noel" claimed the lives of 85
people.

- Priority needs are water, sanitation, health, food security and
nutrition. Projects under the Flash Appeal are designed to cover those
needs.

SITUATION

1. Hour/Date: 17:00 hr. / 7 November 2007.

2. Weather conditions: The National Office of Meteorology (ONAMET in
Spanish) reports that a low pressure system continues over eastern
Puerto Rico causes scattered showers in the Dominican Republic.

3. Forecast for the next two days: ONAMET forecasts that over the next
24 to 48 hours rain will return in the country. Precipitation will
mostly be concentrated in the Bajo Yuna and northeastern zones, which
could lead to new flooding.

4. Affected area: The Committee for Special Operations (COE in Spanish)
maintains a red alert in 11 provinces and maintains yellow alert for
another 14. In the rest of the Dominican Republic the alert has been
discontinued.

5. Impact:

|---------------------------+-----------------|
|    National Emergency     |                 |
|     Commission (CNE)      |                 |
|        Bulletin 21        |                 |
|(11:00 AM 7 November 2007) |                 |
|---------------------------+-----------------|
|Dead                       |       85        |
|---------------------------+-----------------|
|Disappeared                |       48        |
|---------------------------+-----------------|
|Rescued                    |      4,206      |
|---------------------------+-----------------|
|Displaced persons          |In shelters:     |
|                           |26,426           |
|                           |In homes of      |
|                           |families         |
|                           |and friends:     |
|                           |53,302           |
|                           |TOTAL: 79,728    |
|---------------------------+-----------------|
|Affected houses            |Slight damage:   |
|                           |18,053           |
|                           |Destroyed: 1,879 |
|                           |TOTAL: 19,932    |
|---------------------------+-----------------|
|Shelters activated         |       152       |
|---------------------------+-----------------|
|Cut-off communities        |       153       |
|---------------------------+-----------------|
|Affected bridges and roads |       50        |
|---------------------------+-----------------|


Health, water and sanitation

6. INAPA reports that 155 water systems continue to be damaged,
affecting 3.3 million people.

7. The National Hydraulic Resources Institute (INDRHI) increased its
damage estimates to 963 million pesos (approximately USD 28.6 million)
for the irrigation and training systems in the country.

8. There have been six cases of meningococcica meningitis group B
registered in: Santo Domingo Este (3), Santo Domingo Norte (1), San
Cristobal (1) and Guandule (1). Of confirmed cases, three are babies. On
6 November, a three-month old girl died of the disease in San Cristobal.

Food security and nutrition

9. Thousands of rice, plantain, tomato, onion and other small fruit and
vegetable lots were destroyed, particularly in south, Cibao Central and
northeastern regions, which remain flooded.

10. Basic agricultural foodstuffs experienced a 30% increase in price
yesterday in markets.

11. The General Cattle Ranching Association (DIGEGA) reports that
between 8,000 and 9,000 head of cattle disappeared or perished.

Shelters

12. The Dominican Red Cross is assisting more than 36,200 refugees in
226 shelters throughout the country.

PRIORITY NEEDS

13. Most recently identified needs:

Health, water and sanitation

- Potable water and mass and family water storage receptacles; chlorine
water purification kits

- Disposable diapers for children and adults

- Portable latrines

- Different sized trash bags

- Mattresses and sheets for beds; mosquito nets

- Medicine and vaccines

- Cleaning equipment for shelters and affected housing

- Psychosocial support

- Water treatment plants

Food Security and Nutrition

Food for children under 3 and adults located in shelters.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

Organization

14. According to Bulletin #21 of the CNE, on 7 November, the number of
cut-off communities again increased (155) along with the number of
displaced people (79,728).

15. The President of the Dominican Republic visited on 6 November
Arenosa and Villa Riva in Duarte province, where he announced the
construction of homes affected by flooding. The Government also plans to
rent homes to shelter affected populations until their homes are
rebuilt. He also announced that on 8 November he would announce measures
to rebuild the areas affected by Tropical Storm "Noel".

16. The National Council for Urban Matters (Conau) presents a proposal
for housing to relocate people living along the Ozama and Isabela
rivers. This proposal includes an extension of 12 million square meters
in Las Americas, San Isidro, La Caleta, Mella highway and Duarte
highway.

17. The Senate requested executive powers to create a specialized body
to avoid people to build again and occupy those vulnerable zones.

18. A Public Health has assured that the shelters and affected
communities are under sanitary control, despite some cases of diarrhea,
colds, respiratory problems and conjunctivitis cases.

19. Some 840 prisoners transferred out of La Victoria prison have now
returned.

20. The Secretary of the Budget warned that economic activity fell by
726 million pesos (approximately USD 21.6 million) in the first week of
November due to "Noel".

21. With the "Short Cycle Planting" project, the government seeks to
recover 25 essential crops in order to guarantee food production and
supply.

22. Agriculture requests that the Army and Police protect crops and
properties following a wave of robberies in the south.

Actions

23. Aerial, maritime and land operations for aid and assistance to
affected populations continues.

24. Food, medicine, blankets, mattresses, mosquito nets and water
distribution and assistance to the population continues.

25. Cafeterias have distributed more than 900,000 cooked meal rations
and the Social Plan of the Presidency and the Armed Forces have
distributed around 80,450 food rations to affected populations.

26. SESPAS maintains medical personnel, nurses and support personnel in
shelters throughout the country, along with epidemiological surveillance
through preventive vaccine campaigns, fumigations, and water cleaning
and purification efforts. They have also deployed mental health
professionals in shelters and distributed fortified food rations for
babies.

27. Nationally mobilized funding:

|-------------+----------+---------+-------------+-------------|
| Institution |  Amount  | Sector  |   Type of   |   No. of    |
|             |  (USD)   |         |contributions|Beneficiaries|
|             |          |         |   in kind   |             |
|-------------+----------+---------+-------------+-------------|
|Gobierno de  |$7,666,667|Food Aid |Food Aid     |   246,000   |
|RD           |          |         |             |             |
|-------------+----------+---------+-------------+-------------|



28. Nationally mobilized materials:

|--------------+-----------+--------------+-------------|
| Institution  |  Sector   |   Type of    |   No. of    |
|              |           |contributions |Beneficiaries|
|              |           |   in kind    |             |
|--------------+-----------+--------------+-------------|
|Gobierno de RD|Shelter    |Reconstruction|             |
|              |           |of            |             |
|              |           |housing       |             |
|--------------+-----------+--------------+-------------|
|Gobierno de RD|Logistics  |Fuel          |             |
|--------------+-----------+--------------+-------------|
|Gobierno de RD|Agriculture|Re-planting   |1,521,000    |
|              |           |              |hectares     |
|--------------+-----------+--------------+-------------|
|Gobierno de RD|Food Aid   |Food Aid      |106,040      |
|              |           |              |rations      |
|--------------+-----------+--------------+-------------|


For detailed information please contact:

Desk Officer (New York):
Mr. Ignacio Leon
Office Tel: +1 917 367-9960
Office Fax: +1 212 963-3630
E-mail: leoni@un.org

GCMS (Geneva):
Ms. Aoibheann O'Keeffe
Office Tel: +41 22 917 4329
E-mail: okeeffe@un.org

OCHA Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean ,Panama:
Mr. Douglas Reimer
Regional Disaster Response Adviser
Office Tel. +507 317 1748
Office Fax +507 317 1744
Mobile: +507 6676-1689
E-mail: reimer@un.org


Press Contact:

(NYC) Ms. Stephanie Bunker
Office Tel : + 1 917-367-5126
Office Fax: + 1 212-963-1312
Email: bunker@un.org

(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs
Office Tel + 41 22 917 26 53
Office Fax + 41 22 917 00 20
E-mail: byrs@un.org

Attachments:
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