REDLAC Weekly Note on Emergencies

Latin America & the Caribbean

This note is compiled for The Risk Emergency Disaster Working Group for Latin America and the Caribbean (REDLAC) by the OCHA Regional Office through disaster monitoring and input from our Regional Humanitarian partners. This note summarizes key facts and actions reported by the sources indicated. Activities carried out in affected countries are not limited to the ones reported here. Please check with sources for further information. For input, feedback and suggestions send us an email to [email protected]

Year 4 – Volume 214 27 June, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS:  MÉXICO: Hurricane Beatriz left 3 dead and several damages in the tourism sector.  : Some 3,500 people are isolated by rains.  CHILE: Puyehue volcano shows sign of possible eruption. In Bariloche losses are estimated at US$100 millions

FLOODS & RAINS HONDURAS: The , mainly the MEXICO: Category 1 Hurricane Beatriz municipalities of , , Goascorán, impacted last Tuesday the Pacific coast of Alianza, , and , are on yellow Mexico, leaving 3 deaths and one person alert for 48 hours due to the over flooding of the missing. Storm warnings were posted along the Goascorán river and its tributaries, due to heavy Mexican coast, affecting the states of Guerrero, rains generated by a tropical wave passing Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco. Beatriz mainly through Honduras. A preliminary report states affected tourist facilities. The previous that at least 3,500 people from various affectation, Hurricane Adrian, formed in early communities are isolated, because several June, left no damages reported. bridges have collapsed. Source: National Hurricane Center. Source: Permanent Contingency Commission.

COLOMBIA: From April to June, winter season has affected some 734,860 people, and caused 119 deaths. During this period, 114,706 houses were affected and 1,340 were destroyed. The accumulated affected (since April 2010) is 3,714,8031. During the first semester of the year, Colombia Humanitaria (a government programme that takes care of victims of the winter season) has delivered 11,530 tons of 2 food

Three weeks after the start of Puyehue’s activity; Bariloche launches the Mi Casa Campaign. Volunteers get organized to clean the city. Tour operators have declared the winter tourism season as a loss, 1 livestock producers expect subsidies. Photo: Telam. Source: OCHA Colombia 2 Source: Government of Colombia

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BOLIVIA: The Bolivian government enacted the VOLCANIC ACTIVITY law "productive revolution, and agricultural CHILE: Puyehue-Caulle Chord volcanic complex community." This law establishes corn, rice and erupted on 4 June, with lava emissions. Experts potatoes as strategic products, and aims to fear that this phenomenon may be the prelude ensure food for all Bolivians and improve the to explosions, and the potentially dangerous living conditions of peasant producers. The law accumulation of energy in the volcano. The ash provides that all levels of government must cloud from the Puyehue traveled around the implement strategic product deposits in order to planet and caused economic losses, mainly in ensure timely distribution to domestic markets. Argentina, due to the cancellation of flights and It also obliges the state to protect biodiversity as the negative effect on tourism, agriculture and sustaining the livelihoods and their natural livestock. Economic losses in Bariloche could processes in the context of food sovereignty and reach $100 million, according to the the health of people. The new law prohibits entry businessmen of the region. to the country of agricultural technology Source: Red de Vigilancia Vulcanológica del Servicio National packages involving genetically modified species de Geología y Minería de Chile. of which Bolivia is a center of origin or diversity. Source: Government of Bolivia.

FOOD INSECURITY

ALC: Experts predict an active hurricane season in the Atlantic may increase the problems associated with food insecurity. Typical impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes on food security include damage to crops with a corresponding reduction in agricultural production, death of livestock, damage to housing and infrastructure, reduced access to markets and health services, and high prices of food and non-food items due to reduced access to markets3. In Honduras, the cost of Seeds and fertilizers that are currently being imported will be produced in Bolivia by state enterprises, according to the new food malnutrition among children under five years security law. Poto: Action Against Hunger. through 2004 is the equivalent to 10.6 percent of GDP, 81 percent of social spending and nearly three times the spending on health4.

3 Source: FewsNet 4 Government of Honduras

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