OCHA Situation Report No. 7
Dominican Republic: Tropical Storm Noel
11 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 in 11 provinces and a yellow alert in 14 
provinces and more rains are expected.

- Priority needs are water, sanitation, health, food security and 
nutrition.

SITUATION

1. Weather conditions: The National Office of Meteorology (ONAMET in 
Spanish) reports that scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue 
on mountainous areas and in the North Eastern Part of Dominican 
Republic.

2. Forecast for the next two days: ONAMET forecasts that weak to 
moderate precipitation will continue over the next 36 to 48 hours, 
especially affecting the North Eastern, South Eastern and Central parts 
of the country.

3. 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.


4. Impact:

|-------------------+-----------------------|
|National Emergency |                       |
| Commission (CNE)  |                       |
|    Bulletin 21    |                       |
|    (11:00 AM 8    |                       |
|  November 2007)   |                       |
|-------------------+-----------------------|
|Dead               |             85        |
|-------------------+-----------------------|
|Disappeared        |             48        |
|-------------------+-----------------------|
|Rescued            |           4,206       |
|-------------------+-----------------------|
|Displaced persons  | In shelters: 26,426   |
|                   | In homes of families  |
|                   | and friends: 53,302   |
|                   | TOTAL: 65,908         |
|-------------------+-----------------------|
|Affected houses    | Slight damage: 18,053 |
|                   | Destroyed: 1,879      |
|                   | TOTAL: 16,447         |
|-------------------+-----------------------|
|Shelters activated |             94        |
|-------------------+-----------------------|
|Cut-off communities|            153        |
|-------------------+-----------------------|
|Affected bridges   |             50        |
|and roads          |                       |
|-------------------+-----------------------|


Health, water and sanitation

5. The National Institute for Water and Sanitation (INAPA) reports that 
102 of the 155 damaged water systems have been repaired. In addition, 
temporary solutions will be sought in the coming 15 days for the 53 
remaining damaged water systems.

Food security and nutrition

6. In San Jose de Ocoa, damages to infrastructure and agricultural 
production are estimated for 400 million pesos (USD 12 million).

Shelters

7. 54 schools are still used as temporary shelters.

8. In Bajo Yuna, temporary shelters are reportedly over-crowded and 
displaced people are willing to be sheltered elsewhere.

9. Organizations working in the northern part of Santo Domingo are 
requesting that families be relocated in safer areas.

Infrastructures

10. The Dominican Federation of Municipalities (FEDOMU) reports that 
local relief organizations lack financial and material resources, their 
work being solely supported by volunteers.

11. The power network has been entirely restored by the power company 
Edesur.

PRIORITY NEEDS

12. Most recently identified needs:

Health, water and sanitation

- Potable water and mass and family water storage containers; 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

13. Local authorities from San Cristobal, Duarte, San Jose de Ocoa and 
Barahona requested that the Government speed up the delivery of 
assistance to the displaced families.

14. In Villa Altagracia, municipal authorities started relocating 
displaced families and dozens of families all over the country are now 
returning to their original homes.

15. Department of Public Health started a vaccination campaign 
(including diphtheria and tetanus) in cut-off areas.

16. The National Emergency Coordination Centre (COE National) held 
general coordination meetings with four specific working groups focusing 
on water and sanitation, shelter, infrastructures and humanitarian 
assistance.

Actions

17. Aerial, maritime and land operations for aid and assistance to 
affected populations continue.

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

19. The Secretary of State for Public Health and Social Support (SESPAS) 
is providing medical assistance (especially for women and children) in 
Arenoso, Villa Riva, San Juan de la Maguana and Santo Domingo.


20. Nationally mobilized funding:

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


  21. 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    |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------|


INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

22. The United Nations System and its partners, in consultation with the
authorities, issued a Flash Appeal to support the national response. The
call for US$13.9 million is focused on humanitarian aid over the next six
months in the health, water and sanitation, shelter, food security and
nutrition, protection and education sectors. There were also key aspects
included such as the restoration of living conditions and early recovery.
The appeal can be found at www.reliefweb.int.
(http://ochaonline.un.org/humanitarianappeal/webpage.asp?Page=1623)

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=50C1E0310E75D94EC125738F007B9D5C&file=Full_Report.pdf

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Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
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Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
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