Cuba: Hurricane Lili [DHA-05: 20-Oct-96]

Cuba: Hurricane Lili [DHA-05: 20-Oct-96]



                                    CUBA
                              HURRICANE 'LILI'
                     DHA GENEVA INFORMATION REPORT NO. 5
                               20 OCTOBER 1996


       SITUATION
                                                                    
       1.      THE  GOVERNMENT OF CUBA HAS REQUESTED DHA TO LAUNCH  
       AN APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.                      
                                                                    
       2.       UNDP/DHA  RESIDENT  REPRESENTATIVE  REPORTS  THAT,  
       ACCORDING  TO  A  REPORT  ISSUED BY THE CUBAN CIVIL DEFENSE  
       BUREAU ON 19 OCTOBER 1996, 11 OF THE COUNTRY'S 15 PROVINCES  
       - PLUS THE ISLAND OF YOUTH JUST SOUTH OF THE CUBAN MAINLAND  
       - WERE AFFECTED BY THE HURRICANE LILI.                       
                                                                    
       3.      A  TOTAL  OF  191,936  PERSONS HAD TO BE EVACUATED,  
       WHILE  DAMAGED  HOUSING  NUMBERED  22,066  UNITS WITH 2,858  
       OTHER HOMES TOTALLY DESTROYED.                               
                                                                    
       4.      THE  GALE  FORCE  WINDS  AND  RAIN  ALSO DAMAGED 15  
       HOSPITALS,  32  SCHOOLS,  3  KINDERGARTENS,  233 INDUSTRIAL  
       PLANTS   -   THREE  OF  WHICH  WERE  DESTROYED  -  AND  105  
       AGRICULTURAL   INSTALLATIONS,   FIVE  OF  THEM  ALSO  FULLY  
       DESTROYED.                                                   
                                                                    
       5.      SEVERE  DAMAGE  WAS  SUSTAINED BY BANANA, FRUIT AND  
       COFFEE  PLANTATIONS,  SUGAR  CANE  FIELDS AND RICE PADDIES.  
       ESTIMATIONS OF DAMAGE IN AGRICULTURE ARE  INCOMPLETE, SINCE  
       MANY AREAS ARE STILL COVERED BY WATER.                       
                                                                    
       6.      MOST  AFFECTED  AREAS ARE CIENFUEGOS, A PROVINCE ON  
       CUBA'S  SOUTHERN  CENTRAL  COAST,  AND  NEIGHBOURING SANCTI  
       SPIRITUS,  IN  CENTRAL  CUBA.  THOSE TWO PROVINCES REPORTED  
       12,307 HOMES DAMAGED AND 2,257 DESTROYED.                    
                                                                    
       REQUIREMENTS                                                 
                                                                    
       7.      CUBAN  AUTHORITIES  HAVE,  ON  A PRELIMINARY BASIS,  
       INDICATED  THAT  INTERNATIONAL  ASSISTANCE,  AT THIS STAGE,  
       SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED IN THE FOLLOWING THREE MAIN AREAS:    
                                                                    
              -  FOOD  (POWDERED  MILK,  WHEAT FLOUR, COOKING OIL,  
              CANNED MEAT, CEREALS ETC.)                            
                                                                    
              -   CONSTRUCTION   MATERIALS   (ROOF  TILES,  NAILS,  
              ELECTRIC WIRING CABLES, ETC.)                         
                                                                    
              -   MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND WATER SUPPLY (ANTIDIARRHEAL  
              DRUGS, CHLORINE FOR WATER DISINFECTION)               
                                                                    
       COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE                       
                                                                    
       8.      A MEETING CHAIRED BY THE MINISTERS OF PUBLIC HEALTH  
       AND  FOREIGN  INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC COLLABORATION WILL BE  
       HELD  ON  MONDAY  21  OCTOBER WITH THE HEADS OF UN AGENCIES  
       (INCLUDING  WHO/PAHO),  FUNDS AND PROGRAMMES REPRESENTED IN  
       CUBA IN ORDER TO QUANTIFY AND PRIORITIZE NEEDS.              
                                                                    
       9.      DHA  IS  PREPARED  TO  SERVE  AS A CHANNEL FOR CASH  
       CONTRIBUTIONS TO BE USED DURING THE IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE.  
       FUNDS ARE SPENT IN COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS  
       OF  THE  UN SYSTEM, AND DHA PROVIDES DONOR GOVERNMENTS WITH  
       WRITTEN  CONFIRMATION  ON UTILIZATION OF FUNDS CONTRIBUTED.  

                                                                    
[note: DHA Correction to Item 10 has been used]
       10. FUNDS SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO DHA ACCOUNT NO. CO. 590.160.1
       AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770, CH-1211 GENEVA 2
       WITH REFERENCE: CUBA - HURRICANE 'LILI', DHA GENEVA.

       11.     FOR  COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO  
       INFORM  DHA GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF RELIEF MISSIONS/  
       PLEDGES/  CONTRIBUTIONS  AND  THEIR  CORRESPONDING VALUE BY  
       ITEM.                                                        
                                                                    
                                                                    
       TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917.12.34                               
       IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY: +41-22-917.20.10                  
       DESK OFFICER: MR. E. HAEGGLUND TEL +41 22 917 32.99/MR. C.   
       DIRECT TEL. +41-22-917.13.83                                 
       PRESS TO CONTACT: MS. M. MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL.:        
       +41-22-                                                      
       917.28.56                                                    
       TELEX: 414242 DHA CH                                         
       FAX: +41-22-917.00.23                                        
                                                                    


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