SitRep

United Nations System in

Situation Report 3 UN Disaster Management Team - Costa Rica

Tropical Storm TOMAS and Low Pressure System in the Caribbean Generalised flooding and landslides 6 November 2010 12:00 hours (local time)

Note: Information sources are National Emergency Commission (CNE), National Meteorological Institute (IMN) and selected national and international press agencies.

A. Description of the adverse effect:

Torrential rain affected approximately 55% of the country since early Wednesday 3 November, due to interaction of a persistent low pressure system on the coast of northwestern (in front of Bocas del Toro) and Tropical Storm TOMAS, on the move to the northeast, towards La Hispaniola and Bahamas, with a speed of 17kph.

(NHC, NOAA, 4 Nov 2010)

Rainfall has been extremely heavy all along the Pacific Coast (provinces of Guanacaste and ) and mountainous areas of the central part of the country (Aguacate and Escazú Hills, Los Santos). On specific points of the Pacific area, the IMN has recorded the equivalent of 3 times the average rainfall the entire month of November, in just 3 days.

1 Torrential rain conditions extended til early Saturday 6 November; particularly in areas with depleted and flooded soils and overflown river basins. Presently, rain has decreased, due to influence of an oncoming cold front from northern Central America, with strong winds. Its duration is uncertain.

Rainfall has triggered landslides and floods, movement of around 3383 people to shelters along the Pacific and on Central Valley; as well as destruction / damage on motorways, bridges, drinking water and sewage systems, housing. Many communities in affected cantons remain isolated. Southwest of San José, an avalanche at Pico Blanco Hill ran down a small community in San Antonio de Escazú (Las Lajas) at Thursday dawn. 24 people (at least 7 of them are children) are reported dead, with 9 disappeared and 4 injured. Search and Rescue (SAR) actions are underway. According to CNE geologists, some 80.000 m2 of terrain at Pico Blanco are extremely damp and loose, with high risk of further landslides. Another person was reported dead at , Puntarenas.

B. Measures by national authorities:

On early hours of Thursday and based on damage assessments, CNE declared Red Alert for North Pacific, Central Pacific and Regions, as well as Central Valley and Los Santos Area (south of Valle Central), while Green Alert status was declared for Huetar Norte Region. About 55% of national territory is in some scope of emergency response operations, led by the CNE and first response institutions of the Risk Management National System (SNGR).

Municipal Emergency Committees (CMEs) in affected areas undertake response actions, by means of shelters, messages to population and distribution of food, drinking water, personal hygiene kits and other Non Food Items (NFIs).

On Thursday, the Ministry of Public Education stated the closing of primary and secondary schools countrywide, until further notice, in co ordination with the Presidency. On Friday, schools in affected areas remained closed.

An Emergency Decree is operational since Thursday afternoon (joint statement from President Laura Chinchilla and CNE President Vanessa Rosales), in order to speed up finance for national response – rehabilitation – reconstruction actions in the next weeks.

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C. Impact:

Affected Municipalities

PROVINCE MUNICIPALITIES / CANTONS Guanacaste Santa Cruz, , , , , Puntarenas , , Parrita, Aguirre, , , San José , , , Pérez Zeledón , , Escazú, León Cortés, Tarrazú, Cartago central, , , , , , (source: CNE)

Major problems on: Santa Cruz () Garabito – Parrita – Aguirre (Puntarenas Province) Acosta, Puriscal (San Jose Province) (view: staff, CNE Data Analysis Area)

(Parrita, aerial view, 5 Nov 2010)

Affected population (by 6 Nov, 12:00 hours)

Moved to safer areas, indirect effects 3383 Dead 24 (at least 7 are children) Disappeared 9 Injured 4 Communities with damage / disruption 348 reports People in shelters 3841 (aprox. 765 families) # Shelters 69 Shelters with adequate health / sanitation At least 26 conditions Shelters, health / sanitation information 43 unavailable

People with water supply problems, early 135.000 Fri 5 Nov. (sources: CNE, Ministry of Health, press)

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Physical Infrastructure (assessments underway, information likely to vary quickly)

Motorways (National, Provincial, 221 Municipal) with total / partial damage by landslides Bridges (National, Provincial, Municipal) 59 with total / partial disruption, countrywide Houses (total / partial damage) 981 Schools, partial damage 3 Small scale health centres (EBAIS, Not available, assessment underway in Equipos Basicos de Atenciòn Integral en heavily affected cantons Salud) with parcial damage Clinic, Parrita Functional / Operational damage; surgeries suspended Hospital, Isolated, surgeries suspended Rural water supply systems, major 21 damage Sewage installations, partial damage 40 (source: CNE,CCSS, press)

Agricultural production: Heavy hectare losses in Puntarenas, San José and Cartago provinces. Highland vegetables, coffee and palm oil are key crops affected. Dairy farms and poultry farms are also under major stress, due to motorways / road disruptions. It is too early to quantify agricultural / livestock losses.

Aerial humanitarian relief operations are underway. Strong cold front winds will make them more dangerous, particularly in Central Valley area and Central Pacific Region. Guatemala, Panama and Colombia will send helicopters and other aircraft to strengthen aerial operations.

D. Response actions implemented by the community, organizations and national authorities:

1. The CNE coordinates the Emergency Operations Centre (COE), whose main members are: Fire Fighters, Red Cross, Ministry of Public Security, 9-1-1 Communications System, Ministry of Health, Social Security System (CCSS), Social Assistance Institute (IMAS), Ministry of Public Works, Institute for Water Supply and Sewage (AyA), Ministry of Agriculture. The COE has been active since Yellow Alert statement (Monday 1 November) 2. Activation of all Regional and Municipal Emergency Committees in the affected areas. 3. Co-ordination mechanisms with first response institutions (Red Cross, CCSS, police forces) for relief actions. 4. Co-ordination with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Emergency Team) to assess / open affected national roads, depending on weather conditions. 5. Aerial operations for humanitarian relief. CNE hires helicopter, plus some private sector units.

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E. United Nations actions:

a. UNETT (FAO, UN-HABITAT, UNHCR, ILO, IOM, UNESCO, PAHO/WHO, WMO, UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA) with information exchange / situation monitoring / 29 October – 1st November. b. Phone / Email communication with public sector counterparts: CNE, Ministry of the Presidency, MAG, Ministry of Health, CCSS, AyA, Red Cross. c. Phone / Email communication with: OCHA-LAC, UNDP/BCPR, PAHO/PED, UNICEF/TACRO, UNFPA. d. UNETT work meetings. Information analysis and writing of UN System Situation Reports.

F. Assistance

The UN Resident Coordinator and the UNETT have kept close contact with the national authorities. Information was received of a possible donation of approximately US$20.000 available for immediate assistance by UN OCHA, if required by the government. In a note dated Thursday, November 4th, the National Emergency Commission (CNE) requested the UN Resident Coordinator to use this money to provide cooking kits for affected mobilized population in various locations, with an approximate cost of US$27 per unit. UNETT had a conference call on Friday, November 5th with the CNE in which more information regarding this donation was requested, specifically the content of these kits, the number of kits required and areas for distribution of the kits. Weekend actions between the CNE, the RC and the UNETT make approval of OCHA ECG very likely, by Monday 8.

G. National Contacts (If required)

Comisión Nacional de Prevención del Riesgo y Atención de Emergencias (CNE) Marco Vinicio Saborío, Jefe Asuntos Internacionales Tel: (506) 2210 2843 Mob: (506) 8861 0271 [email protected]

Sigifredo Pérez, Jefe Operaciones Tel: (506) 2210 2732 Mob: (506) 8894 7501 [email protected]

5 H. UN Contacts (If required)

Luiza Carvalho UN Resident Coordinator Tel: (506) 2296 1544 Fax: (506) 2231 1545

Andrés Calvo Barrantes National Programme Officer PAHO/WHO UNETT Coordinador Tel: (506) 2258-5810 Mob: (506) 8836-3580 Fax: (506) 2258-5830 [email protected]

Montserrat Blanco Lobo Programme Officer UNDP Tel: (506) 2296-1544 Mob: (506) 8867-4554 Fax: (506) 2296-1545 [email protected]

I. Relevant images

(Osa Canton, nearby Ciudad Cortés)

(Nicoya – Nosara, Guanacaste Province)

(El Guarco, )

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