Rapid Response Payment Request No. 15 /2009
Funds Sent To: Lutheran World Federation
Amount Sent: US$ 60,000
Date: 12 November 2009
Details of Response
Emergency: Floods and Mudslide Caused by Hurricane Ida
Date of Emergency: Since 8 November 2009
Implementing Member(s): Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in conjunction with ACT member Salvadoran Lutheran Synod (SLS), and Associate Members, ABRAZO, Iglesia Bautista Emanuel, Iglesia Anglicana de El Salvador, Iglesia Reformada Calvinista de El Salvador.
DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY:
El Salvador was hit by winds and rain of Hurricane Ida on 7-8 November, discharging in six hours more than 300 millimeters of rain, which according to the government is close to the impact of Hurricane Mitch in 1998 in four days. Seven of fourteen Departments were affected. The number of deaths from mudslides to date is more than 150, with 60 still unaccounted for, according to Civil Defense.
Some 13,000 people remain in temporary shelters, principally in the Departments of San Salvador, San Vicente, La Paz, Cuscatlán, Cabañas, Usulután, and La Libertad. 118 shelters have been established in schools, municipalities, churches, and community centers. Some people are being taken in by private residences.
Assessments are still coming in on the damage. Thousands of houses have been destroyed totally or in part. There are mudslides throughout the affected area, including some major ones covering houses, crops, and roads. Rivers have overflowed. 24 bridges have been affected, six of which totally destroyed.
National System of Civil Defense
Summary of Impact of Tropical Depression - 9/11/2009, 08:00
Situation / Cases
Mudslides / 108
Trees fallen / 36
Houses affected / 1,835
Houses totally destroyed / 209
Bridges Damaged / 18
Major flooding / 13
Flooding of major rivers / 12
Shelters / 118
Number of people in shelters / 13,680
Number of deaths / 130
Summary of Shelters (9/11/2009, 08:00)
Department (STATE) / Number of Shelters / Number of Persons / Number of Families / Schools
Cabañas / 3 / 42 / 9 / 3
Cuscatlán / 9 / 584 / 41 / 6
La Paz / 52 / 7,288 / 1,171 / 8
La Libertad / 4 / 570 / 97 / 1
San Salvador / 36 / 3,276 / 369 / 8
San Vicente / 13 / 1,775 / 346 / 9
Usulután / 1 / 145 / 0 / 1
TOTALS: 118 / 13,680 / 2,033 / 36
The World Food Program estimates some 10,000 will need food assistance in the coming months due to the loss of crops due to the flooding and mudslides.
In the municipality of Verapaz, in San Vicente, 71 km to the east of San Salvador, tons of mud and rocks flowed down from the Chinchontepec Volcano, burying people, houses, vehicles, and animals. 17 people were reported killed, 47 disappeared, 170 houses destroyed according to an initial assessment by the Emmanuel Baptist Church. Members of the fire department from Guatemala have joined the search operations in this municipality.
On Monday, 9 November, the National Assembly of El Salvador declared this a state of public calamity and national disaster. It also declared a 3-day period of national mourning as of Tuesday, 10 November.
According to officials of the Civil Defense, over time more damage will be quantified for houses, bridges, water systems, and the shortage of food and precarious health environment. Specific characteristic and challenge of this emergency is the dispersion of the affected population, as many live in small towns and villages in the hills and along rivers and near the Pacific coast.
The Salvadoran government reports that Cuba has offered assistance with epidemiologists. The United States has offered an initial contribution of $100,000, to be used for the purchase of medicines. Venezuela has sent air cargo shipments of medical supplies and food.
ACTIONS TO DATE, AND EMERGENCY NEEDS:
The ACT El Salvador Forum is composed of ACT members, Christian Aid (CAID) - El Salvador, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) - El Salvador Program, Presbyterian Disaster Relief (PDA) - Regional office, Salvadoran Lutheran Synod (SLS). The chair of the forum is rotating every year. Currently, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is chairing the Forum.
The Forum mobilized in different affected regions as of Sunday 8 November, providing small contributions of food, clothing, jackets, psychological attention, medicine, and provisional roofing material.
Coordination has been established with community organizations, local governments, civil society, churches, and governmental bodies. Surveys have been undertaken in various localities where ACT members are already present. Special efforts are made to strengthen local organization.
Main needs identified to date include: temporary housing; equipment and tools for the removal of debris, mud, rocks, trees; construction of latrines; rebuilding of houses. Provision of food is a major priority, but also cooking and kitchen utensils are needed, as most families have lost all or some personal belongings. In addition, personal hygiene supplies are also important.
For each priority a response is proposed based on SPHERE principles.
PROPOSED EMERGENCY RESPONSE: Proposed assistance includes food, cooking supplies, and hygienic supplies for 512 families located in the following areas:
State / Families
San Salvador
North of San Salvador (Apopa, Aguilares) / 75
San Martín / 100
Santo Tomás / 75
Soyapango / 40
Ilopango / 60
San Marcos / 36
La Libertad
Puerto de la Libertad / 25
La Paz
Santiago Nonualco / 25
Nahualapa / 25
San Vicente
Tecoluca / 25
Cuscatlán
Suchitoto / 25
Total: 512
OBJECTIVE OF THE RESPONSE: To provide food, cooking and eating utensils, to families affected by rains, flooding, and mudslides as a result of Tropical Depression Ida.
The food kits include: corn flour, rice, red beans, salt, sugar, vegetable oil, and packages of cereal. The ration is calculated for a period of 30 days per family of five.
Cooking and kitchen kits include: a basic three piece cooking pot, 5 oz plastic cups, 16 oz plastic cups, serving utensils (knife, spoon, fork), serving spoons, water containers, and food containers.
INFORMATION ON TARGET POPULATION IN THE LOCATION OF RESPONSE:
The target population is primarily people living from subsistence agriculture economy, located in vulnerable areas of small communities on the periphery of small towns and in rural areas.
The members will implement activities jointly in the following areas and locations:
1. Lutheran Church: North of San Salvador (Apopa to Aguilares) and Nahulapa
2. Iglesia Bautista Emanuel: San Martín
3. Iglesia Anglicana: Santo Tomás and Lempa communities
4. Iglesia Reformada Calvinista: Soyapango and Ilopango
5. ABRAZO: Puerto de la Libertad
6. Lutheran World Federation: San Marcos and Suchitoto
IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS:
The following is proposed methodology:
1. Funds will not be given to each implementing members for the purchase of kits; the purchases will be carried out by LWF and it will be assured that the selected suppliers will be in charge of the packing and transportation of the kits. In this way personnel is not hired to elaborate kits or arrange transport for the delivery. The format to request quotations asks the suppliers to include these aspects.
2. It will be coordinated with each partner the day of delivery to give the supplier the calendar of transport for community and a member of LWF will accompany each delivery for verification. Also, during the packing process LWF and the implementing partners will be able to be supervising the suppliers and verifying the purchase conditions and quality of the products.
3. A small fund will be given to implementing members for communication costs, fuel and feeding for people that will travel for the delivery of foods.
4. The implementing members will participate in the purchase process, selection, packing, transport, etc.
5. In the delivery processes, in front of the beneficiaries, kits will be opened and tests will be made for the reception and verification of quality with them, although it has been verified in the warehouse as described in 2 and 3.
This methodology has already been used with 16 implementing partners in the past and it works because the distribution of supplies and gathering the information is easier. Also the costs are lower and it is not necessary to pay insurance, warehouses, warehouseman or other support personnel, making the delivery and coordination quicker.
Coordination: The implementation will be a joint effort of three members of the El Salvador ACT Forum and three associate members.
ACT member LWF will receive the funds and be in charge of reporting and monitoring of the implementation. Members will prepare a Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the RRF and mutual responsibilities.
Further action: The members will assess the situation in the following two weeks and decide on the need of a further ACT response to support the affected population.
PERIOD OF IMPLEMENTATION
Implementation of this RRF is over three months from 12 November 2009 to 11 February 2010.
BUDGET: US$ 60,000
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FOR THE FULL RRF text and budget (PDF FILE), KINDLY VISIT THE ACT SITE. THANK YOU.
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The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of 60,000 US$ towards the budget from its Rapid Response Fund and would be grateful to receive contributions to wholly or partially replenish this payment. Should there be an appeal for this emergency, the RRF payment will be considered as an advance.
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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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