OCHA Situation Report No. 3
Dominican Republic: Tropical Storm Olga
21 December 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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

HIGHLIGHTS

- Some 62,000 people displaced. Some 14, 000 continue in shelters

- President of the Republic allocates 1.5 billion Pesos to address
emergency and reconstruction needs.

- Flash Appeal launched in the aftermath of Tropical Storm "Noel" being
revised to address additional needs following tropical "Olga"


SITUATION

National Emergency Commission (CNE in Spanish) Report #10

|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|  People killed  |                33.|      |
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|                 |                   |      |
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|     People      |                 0.|      |
| unaccounted for |                   |      |
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|Displaced people |Tempor. shelters   |      |
|                 |                   |13,908|
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|                 |With relatives and |47,697|
|                 |friends            |      |
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|                 |TOTAL              |61,605|
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
| Affected houses |Slightly affected  |10,052|
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|                 |Severely affected  | 1,899|
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|                 |Destroyed          |    70|
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|                 |TOTAL              |12,321|
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|    Activated    |                42.|      |
|    shelters     |                   |      |
|-----------------+-------------------+------|
|    Isolated     |               190.|      |
|   communities   |                   |      |
|-----------------+-------------------+------|


1. The Emergency Operations Centre (COE) is maintaining a red alert for
Santiago, Duarte (especially Bajo Yuna), Montecristi, Valverde-Mao,
Maria Trinidad S=E1nchez, Saman=E1, La Vega, S=E1nchez Ramirez, and a red
alert for the provinces of Santo Domingo, El Distrito Nacional, San
Cristobal, Monte Plata, Santiago Rodriguez, La Altagracia, Dajabon, San
Pedro de Macoris,

Espaillat, Azua and San Juan de la Maguana. 2. Alerts have been
discontinued for Monsenor Nouel, Puerto Plata, Hermanas Mirabal
(Salcedo), El Seibo La Romana, Hato Mayor (particulary for Sabana de la
Mar), Peravia, San Jose de Ocoa, Pedernales, Independencia and Barahona.

IMPACT

Health, water and sanitation

2. WHO/PAHO has informed that the drinking water deficit in Santiago
continues with the population using, in some areas, non-treated water
from the Yaque's River. Waste management problems have also been
reported in some temporary shelters.

Food security and nutrition

3. In the municipality of Villa Gonz=E1lez (Santiago) a big number of
chicken and pork farms have been severely affected as well as many
bananas plantations. There is also an increase of prices in the main
markets of the Distrito Nacional, particularly of agricultural products,
and chicken and pork meat.

Shelters

4. Planning is ongoing to re-locate approximately, 9,000 vulnerable
families, which are in a critical situation vis-a-vis natural phenomena.

Recent damage assessments in Santiago show that 2,500 houses were been
affected, of which 600 beyond repair. In Nagua, some six thousand people
have been evacuated and are now in 15 temporary shelters, due the
overflowing of the Yuna River.

Infrastructure

5. In Santiago, water and power supply are being re-established. The
Santiago Aqueducts Corporation, (Coraasan) is still facing a deficit of
35 million gallons of water due to damages to water treatment plants. It
will take approximately six weeks to reestablish full service supply.

6. The National Water and Drainage Institute, (INAPA in Spanish) informs
that 23 aqueducts continue off service. In Mao, drinking water is still
scarce. The National Hydraulic Resources Institute (INDRHI in Spanish)
revealed that 11 irrigation canals, 23 hydraulic systems and contention
walls are still non-operational. In the province of Montecristi, most of
the electrical system has collapsed.

Priority needs

7. Health, water and sanitation

Drinking water; family and community water storage;. Water treatment
plants; Diapers for babies and adults; Portable latrines; trash cans of
different sizes; Medicines and vaccines.

8. Food Security

Food for children (3 year old or less) ); Food for adults in shelters.

9. Shelters

Kitchen utensils; Furniture. Mattresses. Mosquito nets;. Sheets;
Cleaning equipment for shelters and affected houses; Psycho-social
support.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

10. The President of the Republic has announced 1.5 billion pesos
(approximately US$ 45 million) to address the damage caused by the
overflowing of the Yaque River y established a commission, which should
present a set of recommendations regarding assistance measures to be
undertaken.

11. The President has also announced the construction of 150
prefabricated houses for those affected by Tropical Storms "Noel" and
"Olga" in the Arenoso region. Other prefabricated houses will be built
in Villa Riva, with the works schedule to start in January with duration
of three months. According to a preliminary plan elaborated by the
Government in the aftermath of Topical storm "Noel", the construction of
588 houses is ongoing: 438 in San Cristobal, and 150 in Villa
Altagracia. Other 1,400 houses are also planned for the areas of La
Vega, Bonao, Cotui, and Manoguayabo.

12. The local authorities in Santiago have informed that the total
damage caused by tropical storm "Olga" amounts at some 1.5 billion Pesos
(approximately US$ 45 million).

13. The Presidency Social Plan has informed that some 34 million Pesos
(US $ 1.1. million) have been allocated to the Province of Duarte to
address the damage caused by Tropical Storms "Noel" and "Olga".

14. The State Department for Public Health and Social Support (SESPAS)
will continue for some weeks with the epidemiologic surveillance system
to avoid diseases caused by the flooding. Medical teams also continue
with fumigation activities in the affected areas and the distribution of
medical supplies. Until now, they have distributed 23 mil tablets
against leptospirosis.

Contact Details

For detailed information please contact:

Desk Officer

(New York)
Ms. Heidi Kuttab
Office Tel: +1 917 367-3365
Office Fax: +1 212 963-36 30
E-mail: kuttab@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
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:

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

(Geneva)
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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