Tropical Storm Noel – Dominican Republic- Report No5 Page 1 Situation Report 5– Tropical Storm Noel – DOMINICAN REPUBLIC– 7 NOVEMBER 2007 HIGHLIGHTS Priority needs: 80 thousand gallons per day of potable water, 4,500 portable latrines and food for 10,500 children located in shelters. On 6 November was issued a flash appeal for $13,985,200 to provide humanitarian assistance over the next six months to survivors of Tropical Storm Noel in the Dominican Republic. UNDAC and UNETE held a technical and operational meeting with NGOs working in affected zones with the objective of sharing information and creating mechanisms to allow strengthening the coordination of humanitarian assistance. SITUATION Shelters functioning 133. Cut-off communities 137. Affected bridges and 46. 1. Despite improvements in weather conditions, roads the National Meteorology Office (ONAMET in Spanish) announces that a front will cause new Health, water and sanitation precipitation in the Dominican Republic. Forecast for 5. The National Institute for Hydraulic the next two days: For the next 24 to 36 hours, Resources (INHRHI in Spanish) reports that damage precipitation will be concentrated in the northeast, in irrigation systems has reached 700 million pesos southeast, border and central regions of the (approximately USD 20.7 million). Dominican Republic 6. Potable water distribution is scarce in more 2. In addition, prevailing East/Northeast winds than one hundred sectors of the Distrito Nacional and will continue push clouds towards the Dominican Santo Domingo province. Republic, leading to weak scattered rain showers over the northeastern and southeastern regions. 7. Epidemiological surveillance in shelters shows an incident of diarrhea and conjunctivitis. 3. Affected area: The Committee for Special There are reports in the community surveillance Operations (COE in Spanish) maintains a red alert for system of three cases of meningococcic meningitis in 11 provinces, with another 17 reduced to yellow alert. San Cristóbal del Este (1), La Guaranda (1), Santo Domingo (1). Despite these isolated cases, the 4. Impact: Secretary of Public Health and Social Assistance 5. (SESPAS in Spanish) reports that there is no outbreak National Emergency Commission - Comisión Nacional de of sickness in the shelters. Emergencia (CNE) Bulletin 19 (11:00 AM, 6 November 2007) Food security and nutrition Deaths 85. 8. There is only a stock of rice (5.2 million units Disappeared 48. of 100kg) and cultivations of plantain, beans, yucca, Rescued 4,406. vegetables and other short-cycle crops have been In shelters.........................26,791 severely affected. Displaced In homes of relatives …..47,709 and friends TOTAL............................74,500 9. San José de Ocoa is in need of food and Partially damaged.............15,915 potable water for 2,000 people who lost their homes. Destroyed.................. 737 Affected houses TOTAL.........................16,652 Tropical Storm Noel – Dominican Republic- Report No5 Page 2 10. The Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD in Spanish) estimates that more than 350,000 cultivated areas with different crops were totally or partially Actions affected. 19. Search and rescue and food distribution operations continue in the zones of Bajo Yuna, Villa 11 The Association of Agrarian Producers in Altagracia, Bonao, San José de Ocoa and Azua. Espaillat province has quantified damage to livestock at more than 100 million pesos (approximately USD 20. SESPAS maintains their fumigation plans in 3 million). affected areas, as well as vector controls and the elimination of mosquito breeding grounds. 12. The Northeastern Regional office of the Secretary of Agriculture reports that in Bajo Yuna 21. The Council “Distrito Nacional” began on 5 there were registered losses of more than 100 million November to rebuild more than 1,000 homes of pesos (approximately USD 3 million). affected by the storm. 13. In Peravia province, 80% of agricultural plots 22. In Santo Domingo province, the Government were destroyed, and in Barahona, 70% of coffee will also begin to repair homes with minor damage. production was affected. 23. There is constant monitoring of the state of Shelters dams. 14. The Dominican Red Cross warns that tension is increasing in shelters, which in their judgment could provoke social violence. There remain difficulties in food distribution. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 15. Those affected by the overflow of the Ozama 27. Logistical and distribution system: The and La Isabela rivers have demanded to be relocated distribution of items to affected populations is via the to safer areas. CNE and provincial governments. Parallel to this, NGOs are distributing kits to affected populations. Infrastructure 16. No fewer than 30 communities in San José de International assistance (cash contributions): Ocoa and 60 in Duarte province are still cut off. NATIONAL RESPONSE (See table below) Organization 17. CNE requires an annual budget of 600 to 700 million pesos (USD 17.8 to 20.7 million) to create a disaster preparation and prevention system. 18. The Secretary of Public Works announced that on 6 November communications will move re- established with San José de Ocoa. In addition, more than 1,200 million pesos (USD 35.6 million) are required to rebuild damaged bridges and roads. Tropical Storm Noel – Dominican Republic- Report No5 Page 3 Type of # Institution Amount (USD) Sector contributions Beneficiaries in kind Gobierno de RD $7,666,667 Food Aid Food Aid 246,000 Nestle $166,667 USAID $600,000 Japan $112,300 Shelter In Kind Food AECI $290,120 Food Aid Aid/Shelter Taiwan $100,000 Canada $535,217 Food Germany $29,737 Food Aid Aid/Shelter UNAIDS $15,000 Nutrition and hygiene for UNICEF $60,000 Food/Health children UNFPA $50,000 Shelter OCHA $50,000 OPS $50,000 UNDP $100,000 WFP $500,000 DREF / IFRC $199,280 BID $200,000 Watsan/NFI/ ECHO EUR 1,500,000 food International assistance (in kind contributions) Institution Sector Type of contributions in kind # Beneficiaries Gobierno de RD Shelter Reconstruction of housing Gobierno de RD Logistics Fuel Gobierno de RD Agriculture Re-planting 1,521,000 hectares Gobierno de RD Food Aid Food Aid 106,040 rations ABA UNFPA Health Reproductive Health 10,000 kits MAAG Logistics 2 helicopters & TA Francia Food Aid 7000 bags of food Carrefour Food Aid 5000 bags of food SESPA Food/Water 50000 baby food, 800000 water purifier ICRC Food Aid 2000 children's food kits Clorox / Colgate Water Chlorine and cleaning products Japan Water 10000 bottles Panama Water 96000 bottles Tropical Storm Noel – Dominican Republic- Report No5 Page 4 NGO 28. Oxfam International donated 450,000 Euros 34. PAHO-WHO received an in-kind donation, an for affected populations in marginalized Aqua Chlor AC-100 chlorification machine which neighborhoods in Distrito Nacional and Santo will be given to SESPAS. Domingo province, as well as in communities in El Buey, Villa Altagracia municipality; Tamayo, in 35. UNFPA, through emergency funding (USD Barahona municipality and Los Cacaos in San 50,000), has begun the purchase of basic medicine for Cristóbal. shelters to be distributed in regional SESPAS health centers. In these areas health efforts are focused on BILATERAL Barahona, Azua and Santo Domingo Este and Oeste. 29. Venezuela donated 500 prefab homes, a boat loaded with fuel and more than 60 tons of food and 36. UNICEF, through a multi-country appeal (for medicine. On 5 November the first planeload arrived Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean), with 20 tons of food, water and medicine, and another requested its donors and non-governmental partners two are expected in the coming hours. to provide an additional $815,000 for emergency response. At the same time, it is coordinating with 30. USA on 5 November sent two additional national counterparts to begin a psychosocial helicopters and equipment to be used for recovery process for hundreds of children affected in humanitarian purposes. These helicopters will be the country. added to 14 helicopters and two airplanes provided previously. Food security and nutrition 37. The World Food Programme (WFP) and the 31. Several helicopters from the Royal Marines Dominican Red Cross have distributed 10 MT of high of Great Britain arrived on 5 November to assist in protein biscuits of which nearly 2.5MT were rescue operations and food distribution. distributed by air to municipalities of Sabana Larga (provincia San José de Ocoa) and Arenoso (Provincia 32. The Dominican Petroleum Refinery donated Duarte). By land, distribution has reached Villa 10 million pesos (approximately USD 300,000). Altagracia (provincia San Cristóbal); Piedra Blanca (provincia Monseñor Nouel); Barahona (same UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM province name) and Azua (same province name). More than 20,000 people will benefit from a total of Health, water and sanitation 71 MT of high protein biscuits. At the same time, dry 33. UNAIDS supports Public Health, the Sub- ration purchases began at the national market to secretary of Collective Health and National AIDS benefit another 30,000 people with extreme food and Program (DIGECITSS in Spanish), with nutritional vulnerability. interventions focused on HIV and AIDS prevention and assistance in emergency contexts. This is part of Coordination a process preparing a situation map as a tool to locate 38. UNDAC and UNETE held a technical and HIV and AIDS populations in disaster zones operational meeting with NGOs working in affected receiving assistance at Integral Assistance Centers zones with the objective of sharing information and (UAI in Spanish). In addition, the program is creating mechanisms to allow strengthening the coordinating training on HIV and AIDS in emergency coordination of humanitarian assistance. situation with field personnel (doctors, aid workers, Armed Forces personnel, volunteers, etc.), as well as 39. On 6 November was issued a flash appeal for prevention strategies in shelters and refuges where $13,985,200 to provide humanitarian assistance over transmission risks are greater. Tropical Storm Noel – Dominican Republic- Report No5 Page 5 the next six months to survivors of Tropical Storm Noel in the Dominican Republic.