Colombia Floods Situation Report #13 11/1/2011 This report was compiled by OCHA Colombia from official and secondary sources, UN agencies and INGOs. It covers the period from 29/12/2010 to 6/1/2011. The next report will be issued around 12/01/2010. I. PRIORIRIES / KEY HIGHLIGHTS The sectorial groups continue their work in the Situation Room in order to identify humanitarian needs. Since last week, a BCPR team (UNDP s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery) is providing technical assistance to the GoC and the UN System in mainstreaming of an early recovery approach to the response. The UNDAC team ended its mission on 8 January. II. General Situation Panama / Panama Preliminary information of international humanitarian response Chocó Antioquia Valle del Cauca Córdoba Risaralda Quindío Atlántico Caldas Tolima January 5, 2011 Sucre Magdalena Bolívar Cesar Santander Cundinamarca Bogotá, D.C. La Guajira Norte de Santander Boyacá Meta Arauca Casanare Legend Impact vs Census (%) 0-7.64 7.64-25.19 25.19-51.78 Venezuela 51.78-86.8 86.8-134.79 Vichada According to official figures, 2,234,154 people have been reported as affected as of 11 January. So far, 311 people have died, 289 were injured and 64 are missing. Furthermore, 328,420 houses were damaged and 5,323 completely destroyed. On 3 January, an overflow of the Micay River affected more than 800 people in the urban area of López de Micay (Cauca Department). On 3 January, a burst in the banks of the Zulia River left eight municipalities of Norte the Santander Department (Cúcuta. Santiago Salazar de las Palmas, Cachira, La Esperanza, Villacaro, Lourdes and rural Gramalote) inaccessible by road. Huila Cauca Nariño Putumayo Legend Clusters Ecuador Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Shelters and NFI Coordination Education Protection Early recovery Health Food security and nutrition Caquetá Perú Guaviare Amazonas Vaupés Guainía Brazil Sources: OCHA, SIMCI, IMMAP, DGR, DANE 0 35 70 140 210 280 Kilometers IDEAM alerts the Andean Region, Piedemontes Llanero and Amazónico, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Pacific Region for an increase in rains during the following days. Preventive measures are recommended due to a high probability of flash floods or landslides. However, for the first months of the year IDEAM is predicting a decrease in rainfall, with an alternation of rainy days and drier ones. The reduction of rains during these months may be reflected in a decrease of the current high levels of the rivers in the country. IDEAM states that there is a high probability that the La Niña phenomenon continues to have an effect on weather patterns until mid-2011. Governors and mayors of the Caribbean coast, which is the most affected region, are working on a proposal to facilitate immediate emergency response and reconstruction of affected areas with the GoC s endorsement. The President of Colombia met up with the governors of the departments on the Caribbean coast and with the mayors of the capital cities in the region in order to boost a proposal that would facilitate the reconstruction of affected zones employing the National Calamity Fund (NCF). The UNDAC team The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.
provided technical assistance to the CREPAD of the department of Atlántico in reviewing response protocols and in strengthening coordination. According to estimates of GoC, the losses caused by the winter season amount to COP 10 billion (USD 5,000 million). The director of the National Calamity Fund (NCF) announced around COP 900,000 million (USD 475.5 million) will be allocated to the 32 departments and to the capital cities to provide humanitarian assistance, upon the census of affectation provided. First-aid organisms and national NGOs will deliver the aid. To ensure transparency in the delivery of aid, the Controller and Attorney General will implement a special oversight plan. In addition, 13 private companies will verify the transparency in the use of resources at the request of the GoC. A BCPR team (UNDP s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery) is in the country to provide technical assistance to the GoC and the UN System in mainstreaming of an early recovery approach to the response. III. Humanitarian Needs and Response Agriculture and livelihoods Needs: In Atlántico department, there are estimates of more than 70.000 affected cattle (10% dead) worth USD 3 million. Other 60.000 cattle was relocated to new areas. The CREPAD of Valle del Cauca department reported that some 2.661 families (10.644 persons) have been affected by the loss of more than 55.000 hectares of crops (sugar cane, sorghum, coffee and fruit). Response: WSPA has conducted rescue and feeding activities for horses, cattle and dogs as well as technical assistance in Mosquera, Cundinamarca, Atlántico and Valle del Cauca. The Ministry of Agriculture announced a package of measures to restructure and cancel debts in the agricultural sector and to facilitate the reconstruction of rural housing. WatSan Needs: Although cases of ADD and skin infections have not yet been reported on a large scale in the department of Atlántico an increase is expected due to the poor WatSan conditions in the shelters. The Drinkable Water and Sanitation Sector, activated in the Situation Room, has identified the need for producing information on the most urgent humanitarian needs in order to prioritize areas of intervention. Response: A working group was established in order to identify the humanitarian needs in WatSan based on the information provided by local authorities. The CRC is executing at the moment the following WatSan projects: Household filters for 1500 families in Córdoba (Cotorra, Purisima, Momil y Chimá) in cooperation with OXFAM GB, financed by CERF A project with integrated interventions of health, protection and emergency education in Sucre (San Benito Abad, Caimito, Sucre) in cooperation with UNICEF, financed by CERF Acquisition of water storage systems and mobile health units for 793 households in Magdalena (Tasajera) and Isla de Rosario, financed by ERF Acquisition of water storage tanks in Chocó (Riosucio) for 64 households financed by Conexión Colombia Acquisition of water filters and cooking kits, sanitation kits, tarpaulins, hammocks and food products for 1000 households in Magdalena (Palto Magdalena) and Chocó (Litoral San Juan) finaced by COSUDE. Reconstruction of family water storage systems and cooking kits, tarpaulins and food products for 50 households in Chocó (Coredé, Chorrito) financed by the Dutch Red Cross. Safe water supply in Chocó (Riosucio, Carmen del Darien), financed by OXFAM GB. The CRC has also 15 mobile water treatment plants, of which 3 are in use at the moment. The operational cost of one plant is approximately 14 millions of pesos (7400 USD) and the plant s capacity is 10,000 liters per day. The plants are situated in urban regions of various departments, in order to be moved to rural regions in need for water treatment. OXFAM is executing projects in the La Mojana region (Majagual, Achí,
Guarandó), where they are distributing household water filters for 1,500 families, and in the city of Sucre (Sucre), building water storage and acquiring filters for 1,400 families. OXFAM is planning to acquire a water treatment plant to Chocó (Bajo Atrato, Riosucio, Carmen del Darien) with financing by COSUDE. IOM is building 750 shelters in La Mojana in cooperation with UNICEF, including rain water recollection and drinkable water systems. Defensa Civil has water tank trucks for distributing water to shelters on the Caribbean coast (Atlántico, Bolívar, Magdalena, Sucre departments). They have 4 new water treatment plants in Sucre, Bolívar, Atlántico and Magdalena, with a capacity of 10,000 liters per day. The Fire Department is delivering water daily to shelters nationwide. They have 27 water tank trucks to their disposition. Food and nutrition Needs: In some areas food has become scarce mainly due to damages in the road infrastructure and to rising prices of staple food. In Cereté, Córdoba, 4,000 people are isolated and unable to trade their products due to the overflow of the Sinú River. Food Security and Nutrition Needs: In some regions there is food scarcity as a result of the bad state of the roads (at national and regional levels) and the increase of prices of basic food items. In Cereté, Córdoba department, four thousand persons are currently isolated and unable to transport products since the river Sinú burst its banks leaving the road blocked. Response: Since one week back, the Red Cross has modified its intervention strategy, delivering one-week rations. This change has allowed the stabilization of the food supply within assisted communities. Education Needs: The infrastructure of 815 education institutions has been damaged, affecting 320,000 children in 18 out of 32 departments, according to the Ministry of Education. In addition, more than 360 schools are being used as shelters, housing temporarily more than 70,000 people, Defensa Civil reports. Bolivar is the most affected department with 257 affected institutions. According to the Ministry of Education, 70% of the total school facilities in the country are being used as shelters. The Ministry states that only in the department of Atlántico the use of educational centers as shelters is affecting at least 90,000 students. Response: The GoC has mobilized 30,000 millions of pesos (USD 15.9 millions) for building temporary classrooms and schools. The school principals and the Education Secretariats are allowed to reduce the midyear break in order to comply with the legally established school period. In Valle del Cauca department, schools used as shelters might be evacuated through the provision of housing assistance. Shelter and NFI Needs: The Civil Defense reports that at least 130,473 persons sheltered in educational shelters, improvised and temporary shelters and other public facilities. In the departments of La Guajira, Putumayo and Cundinamarca there are reports of affected population staying with relatives and in Risaralda 4,043 persons live in self built shelters. Especially in order to assure the continuation of the schools, the people situated in educational centers are sought to be relocated (at least 70, 911 persons). The percentage of persons without shelter is still unknown. Response: The Temporary Shelter sector, activated in the Situation Room under the leadership of the Ministry of Social Welfare, is currently working on a shelter management strategy. The Sector is proposing housing kits for building shelters housing 40 families each. SENA is providing 100 instructors, who would each school 20 apprentices in building and installing the shelters. This would mean 2,000 apprentices nationwide, who would be supported financially and certificated. According to the plan it would be possible to build shelters for 2,000 families in 2 weeks. The NGO Shelter Box has donated 1,200 temporary shelter kits for affected families in Atlántico, Bolívar, Sucre and Magdalena (a tent for 8 people, lamp, kitchen kit, 5 blankets, tools, water tank and purifier, stove, mosquito nets and children education tools). ACNUR has delivered tarpaulins, food kits, sanitation kits and mattresses for 7,188 families during the last two weeks in Chocó, Antioquia, Arauca, Cundinamarca, Norte de Santander, Atlántico, Nariño and Santander. Gaps in the response: With the existing information on affectation due to the rainy season it can be stated that around 6 % of affected persons are sheltered (130,473 are located in shelters according to Defensa
Civil). However, this is a rough estimate since the numbers of affected persons are accumulated since April 2010 and it is difficult to estimate the number of persons currently in need of shelter. Early Recovery Needs: There are reports on 320,000 damaged and 5,000 destroyed houses (31 December). Response: On 4 January, President Juan Manuel Santos sanctioned Law 1432 which allows affected people to access housing benefits for the second time in order to recover, repair or acquire housing. Single parent households, informal workers and community mothers will be prioritized for this compensation. A BCPR mission is currently in the country with the purpose of supporting the mainstreaming of early recovery in the response. A mission of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will conduct a damage evaluation late January. IV. Coordination The Situation Room has been relocated to the Risk Management Directorate Offices since 4 January. Within the Crisis Room, sectoral groups on shelter, WatSan and telecommunications have been already activated, while groups on education in emergencies, health, access and transportation, agriculture and livestock, and industry and tourism will be soon activated. The sectoral groups are starting the work of identifying humanitarian needs and communities or regions to prioritize, with the help of the international community. The UNDAC team ended its mission on 8 January. Among the preliminary recommendations of the mission to strengthen coordination and IM are: i) implement and comply with the existing protocols and guidelines for the response; ii) strengthen the work by sectors (clusters) as stated in the Government s protocols; and iii) strengthen information flow between the local and national levels. The extended UNETT started to actively participate in the sectorial meetings organized in the Situation Room aiming at supporting the production of information by sector which gives visibility to the humanitarian needs and guides decision-makers. V. Financing The GoC has approved of COP 900,000 millions (USD 475.5 millions) to respond to this phase of the emergency. To date (since April 2010) the GoC has invested COP 73,000 millions (USD 38.5 millions) in humanitarian assistance. Since 7 December, the Colombian Red Cross has delivered humanitarian assistance to 398,636 people (79,455 families), for a total of 1,304 tons of aid, funded by own resources. ACNUR has delivered humanitarian assistance during the last two weeks for USD 190,000. The campaign Colombia Humanitaria has collected 49,888 millions of pesos (USD 26.4 millions). Chevrolet Foundation donated 90 tons of food and hygiene items to this campaign. This will benefit 13,888 affected families in Bolívar, Magdalena, Córdoba, Chocó, Sucre, Antioquia, Atlántico, Cesar, Valle del Cauca, Guajira and Bogotá. The Russian Government donated humanitarian aid worth USD 500,000 to 11 municipalities in Antioquia. The aid consists of 2,000 blankets, 50 tents, 5 water pumps and 532 kg of medicines. All humanitarian partners including donors and recipient agencies are encouraged to inform of cash and inkind contributions by sending an email to: ochacolombia@un.org
Acronyms: CASH: Committee for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene CLOPAD: Local Committee for Disasters Prevention and Response COSUDE: Swiss Agency for Development and International Cooperation CRC: Colombian Red Cross CREPAD: Regional Committee for Disasters Prevention and Response DGR: Risk Management Division ECHO: European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection ERF: Emergency Response Fund NCF: National Calamity Fund ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross IDEAM: National Institute for Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies INS: National Health Institute IOM: International Organization for Migration MPS: Ministry of Social Welfare MSF: Medicines sans Frontiers PAHO: Panamerican Health Organization SENA: National Training Service WFP: World Food Programme UNDP: United Nations Developement Programme UNDAC: United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination VI. Contacts Bruno Moro Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Colombia bruno.moro@un.org OCHA New York Martin Buettner Desk Officer +1-646-241-7106 buettnerm@un.org OCHA Colombia Maria José Torres - Head of Office torres8@un.org Gianni Morelli Senior Field Coordinator +51 16221100 Ext. 306 morelli@un.org María de la Luz Vásquez Reporting +57 16221100 Ext. 107 vasquezm@un.org