Colombia Floods 2010-2011 Situation report No. 21 16/03/2011 This report is a product of the UN Humanitarian Situation Room. It covers the period from 02/03/2011 to 16/03/2011. The next report will be issued around 23/03/2010. I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES Recent rains have caused affectation in Bolívar, Tolima, Santander, Norte de Santander y Chocó. In Tibú (Norte de Santander), local authorities are worried of lacking necessary infrastructure and resources for responding to another emergency. The lack of water is the main problem in various regions. II. Situation Overview SNPAD reports 1,236 persons affected during the time that this report covers, in Atlántico, Bolívar, Caldas, Huila, Norte de Santander, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima y Valle del Cauca. According to official figures (7 March), 2,457,669 persons have been affected by the rainy season since its start in April 2010. The most affected departments are: Bolívar (409,955 personas afectadas), Magdalena (282,965), La Guajira (233,189), Atlántico (229,414), Córdoba (177,271), Chocó (137,175) y Sucre (119,597). i See Annexes 1-3 for more detailed affection rates. River Cauca has been increasing, causing a high risk for emergencies in the Valle, Coffee, and La Mojana regions. The levels of Magdalena river have risen especially in Neiva (Huila), Purificación and Honda (Tolima), Puerto Berrío (Antioquia), Puerto Salgar and Girardot (Cundinamarca), and Barrancabermeja (Santander). All the departments in the Andean region are currently in the risk for landslides. ii In Bogotá there was rainfall 300% above average during February, and the first days of March (1-7 March) it had already rained 40% of the amount of rain usually shown during the whole month. iii The rains have caused rivers burst their banks and the occurrence of floods in departments such as Bolívar, Tolima, and Santander. In Chocó, the municipalities of Ríosucio, Carmen del Darién, Bojayá, Medio Atrato and Litoral de San Juan are again in the highest alert due to the restart of the rains. III. Humanitarian needs and response WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WATSAN) Needs: OXFAM reports that the lack of water is still the mayor problem in many places. OXFAM received laboratory results of water sampless from water sources used by families in three communities (Bocas de Catabri, Malemba and Corozalito) in Chimá (Córdoba). The results show presence of coliform bacteria in five of seven samples. iv Respuesta: OXFAM is drilling wells in Chimá (Córdoba), where the contaminated water samples were taken. Further, OXFAM has projects with the CRC related to water, hygiene and sanitation in Córdoba, with 3,594 beneficiaries (e.g. delivery of hygiene kits, hygiene promotion activities, distribution of water storage tanks and construction of sanitary units). In Atlántico, OXFAM is working with the CRC in the fields of water and hygiene, benefitting 17,280 persons this week (e.g. installation of water storage systems and hygiene promotion), and supporting the Water Secretariat to enhance the maintenance system of 12 water purifying plants. A technician was hired to visit the plants regularly. In Chocó, OXFAM and the CRC pre-designed a floating sanitary unit which will be installed in Riosucio as a demo piece which could be duplicated as part of 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. http://ochaonline.un.org 1
the adaptation to the recurrent floods in the region. In Sucre (Sucre) OXFAM distributed 626 hygiene kits and trained 626 persons (459 women, 167 men) on hygiene related issues. SHELTER AND NFI Needs: 299 persons (67 families) located in the temporary shelter Bonanza (Ayapel, Córdoba) are in a difficult humanitarian situation, according to analysis by a delegation of Diakonie and Pastorial Social from Montelíbano (Córdoba). The protocols for organization, habitat, health, education, food security and coexistence have not been implemented. As a consequence, the nutritional situation and state of health of the 147 children living in the shelter (between 0 and 11 years) has deteriorated. The children suffer from skin illnesses, acute respiratory illnesses and acute diarrhea. Because some children were situated in a school building nearby the shelter, a high percentage of the population is not being provided with education. The children are in a psychosocial risk, since they have been detached from their usual socio-cultural surroundings. There is scarcity of food and difficulties to access health service, water, and basic sanitation. Mattresses or sheets have not been distributed in the shelter. v OXFAM reports that the situation of people living in tents and improvised shelters in Atlántico has worsened considerably due to the heavy rains in the region (2-3 hours every afternoon). OXFAM also reports of a housing deficit of 25,000 homes in Huila. The forced displacement due to violence and the flood emergency causes a constant increase in housing needed in the region. According to registers of the department, 8,651 homes should be relocated, 1,040 reconstructed and 15,434 renovated. vi In the municipality of Tibú (Norte de Santander) the lack of appropriate space for shelters is worrying local authorities ahead of the forthcoming rainy season. First aid organizations are not properly equipped and local authorities worry that they are still not done with attending affected families from the last rainy season before the next one starts. vii Response: In order to support the response to the crisis presented in Atlántico, ACNUR held a workshop on Shelter and Collective Center Management, convened by the government of Atlántico in the end of February. Regarding the housing deficit in Huila, Camacol is proposing the creation of a housing policy. Camacol and the government of Valle signed a cooperation agreement to help the most affected municipalities. Most likely as a result of road blocks last week by inhabitants of improvised shelters on the roadside in Campo de la Cruz (Atlántico), the displaced persons were arranged a space for a new camp not far from their flooded homes. OXFAM, the CRC and University of Atlántico will provide communitarian water tanks, and distribution points, showers and latrines to the new camps. viii The CREPAD of the department of Chocó informed that the local operator, Comfachocó, has completed the first humanitarian assistance delivery of Colombia Humanitaria. Three municipalities, which had been left out from the registers due to information flaws, had also been included in the delivery. ix Gaps & Constraints: The mayor s office in Ayapel (Córdoba) has done two food deliveries to the Bonanza shelter, but they have informed that they do not have the resources for attending to the situation. x OXFAM reports that, to their knowledge, no institution has taken action to help the people living in tents and improvised shelters in Atlántico, after the situation has become more difficult with increasing rains. xi LOGISTICS Needs: Due to a landslide roadblocks have been presented on the road between Risaralda and Chocó. It will take at least 12 days for INVÍAS to attend to the situation. This is one of the two existing roads connecting Chocó to the rest of the country. xii In the departments of Santander, Norte de Santander and Arauca, the access to the main and secondary roads has been affected due to deterioration and landslides caused by rains. xiii Response: The government of Risaralda proposes to create an airlift, with help from the Army and the Police, to transport food to the region, so that food scarcity can be avoided in the region because of the roadblock. xiv FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION Needs: According to information provided by SNPAD, the number of affected persons has increased to 2.4 millions of persons, which means an increasing need to evaluate the situation of food security and nutrition needs in the country and the attention provided by the GoC in more detail. 2
Response: The cluster is providing technical assistance to the GoC in developing the response plan for the current emergency (Plan de Acción Específico para la Ola Invernal 2010-11). Colombia Humanitaria reports about the delivery of 486,149 food kits and 65,160 cooking kits in the whole country. xv Pastoral Social has delivered 89,216 kg of food for more than 12,380 persons in the whole department of Norte de Santander, since the beginning of December 2010. xvi OXFAM reports that in Sucre (Sucre) food aid was delivered to the whole registered affected population by Colombia Humanitaria. The communities were satisfied since the aid arrived sealed and was rightly delivered to all registered families. xvii Gaps & Constraints: The lack of information of updated information on population with humanitarian needs and detailed information on assistance provided by the GoC are still significant challenges in the sector. There is also a need for additional resources which would permit the international community to provide more help to affected persons, making most of its capacity and knowledge. xviii IV. Coordination The goal of a workshop between UNETT and HCT (16 March) was to analyze the international community s response during the flood emergency last year, in order to enhance the response for the continuation of the emergency during the forthcoming rainy seasons of 2011. VI. Contacts OCHA Colombia Bogotá Office Carrera 10 No. 97A 13 Oficina 401 57-1 6221100 Fax: 6221232 Sub office Medellín Carrera 43A No. 1 85 Oficina 213 57-4 3121010 Sub office Cali Carrera 37A No. 6-36/28 Oficina 201 57-2 5574392 Sub office Cúcuta Avenida 6e No.5-34 Barrio Popular 57-7 5755535 Contacts by Cluster: Response of the International Community: www.colombiassh.org/4w Temporary Shelter and NFI Cluster: https://sites.google.com/a/colombiassh.org/albergues/ or email albergue.col2010@gmail.com Emergency Education Cluster: https://sites.google.com/a/colombiassh.org/educacion/ Food Security and Nutrition Cluster: https://sites.google.com/site/clustersancolombia/ or email clustersancololombia@gmail.com Information Management Working Group: https://sites.google.com/a/colombiassh.org/gtmicolombiassh/ For other sectoral information, please contact: secretaria@colombiassh.org Acronyms: ACF: Action Against Hunger Action Contre la Faim ASAYA: Foundation of Sociocultural Development and Environmental Administration ASPROCIG: Communitarian base organization CLOPAD: Local Committee for Disasters Prevention and Response CORPOICA: Colombian Corporation of Agriculture Studies COSUDE: Swiss Agency for Development and International Cooperation CRC: Colombian Red Cross CREPAD: Regional Committee for Disasters Prevention and Response DANE: National Administrative Statistics Department DAPARD: Administrative Department of the Disaster Prevention, Attention and Recovery System DGR: Risk Management Division ECHO: European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection ERF: Emergency Response Fund FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization FNC: National Calamity Fund FONADE: National Fund for Development Projects FUPAD: Pan American Development Foundation ICRD: International Committee of the Red Cross IDEAM: National Institute for Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies ICA: Colombian Institute of Agriculture ICBF: Colombian Institute of Family Wellbeing INS: National Health Institute INVÍAS: National Road Institute INVIMA: National Institute of Medicine and Food Vigilance MPS: Ministry of Social Protection MSF: Medicins Sans Frontiers Doctors Without Borders OEI: Organization of Ibero-American States IOM: International Organization for Migration PAHO: Pan American Health Organization RET: Foundation for the Refugee Education Trust SENA: National Training Service SNPAD: The National System for Prevention and Attention of Disasters WFP: World Food Programme UNDAC: United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination UNDP: United Nations Development Programme UNFPA: United Nations Population Fund UNHCR: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees For more information see the previous Situation Reports on: www.colombiassh.org 3
Annex 1 Annex 2 Annex 3 Affectation xix Dead Injured Missing persons Affected persons Affected families 326 313 67 2,457,669 519,848 i Information available on: http://www.s sigpad.gov.co/sigpad/emergencias_detalle.aspx?idn=41 ii http://institucional.ideam.gov.co/jsp/loader.jsf?lservicio=publicaciones<ipo=publicaciones&lfuncion=loadconteni dopublicacion&id=1465 4
iii http://institucional.ideam.gov.co/jsp/loader.jsf?lservicio=publicaciones<ipo=publicaciones&lfuncion=loadconteni dopublicacion&id=1465 iv OXFAM: Situation Report: Floods in Colombia, 7 March 2011 v Report by OCHA suboffice in Medellín (Antioquia), 7 March 2011 vi OXFAM: Situation Report: Floods in Colombia, 7 March 2011 vii Report by OCHA suboffice in Cúcuta (Norte de Santander), 7 March 2011 viii OXFAM: Situation Report: Floods in Colombia, 7 March 2011 ix Report by OCHA suboffice in Cali (Valle del Cauca), 14 March 2011 x Report by OCHA suboffice in Medellín (Antioquia), 7 March 2011 xi OXFAM: Situation Report: Floods in Colombia, 7 March 2011 xii Report by OCHA suboffice in Cali (Valle del Cauca), 8 March 2011 xiii Report by OCHA suboffice in Cúcuta (Norte de Santander), 14 March 2011 xiv Report by OCHA suboffice in Cali (Valle del Cauca), 8 March 2011 xv Food Security and Nutrition Cluster: Report to the Humanitarian Situation Room, 15 March 2011 xvi Report by OCHA suboffice in Cúcuta (Norte de Santander), 7 March 2011 xvii OXFAM: Situation Report: Floods in Colombia, 7 March 2011 xviii Food Security and Nutrition Cluster: Report to the Humanitarian Situation Room, 15 March 2011 xix SNPAD (7 March) http://www.sigpad.gov.co/sigpad/emergencias_detalle.aspx?idn=41 5