Response to Hurricane Matthew: Cuba Situation Report No.11 Office of the Resident Coordinator (al 14 10 2016)
This report is produced by the Office of the Resident Coordinator. It covers the period from 14:00 hrs on October 13th to 14:00 hrs on October 14th. The next report will be issued on or around 17/10.
Highlights
Cuba’s Ministry of Public Health calls on the intensification of the work being done in the sector of hygiene in the most affected municipalities in order to avoid the proliferation of vectors and the outbreak of infectious and contagious diseases.
National authorities establish that food and water accessibility, as well as the rehabilitation of the electrical and communication service, are priorities for the evacuated population.
The number of totally collapsed houses in the
municipality of Baracoa has increased to 1,600 of the Photo: Baracoa / Alejandro Ernesto total of 9,000 homes that report some kind of damage. /EFE Venceremos The government is negotiating the start of the distribution of construction materials to the affected population.
Over 90% of educational institutions in Baracoa have been damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Around 11,000 students will restart classes next week in 30 alternative spaces habilitated for that purpose by local authorities of that sector.
Photo: Apoyo a la respuesta / PMA
70,000 1,600 22,500 96% 79 people estimated houses completely hectares of agricultural of educational health institutions remain evacuated in destroyed in the productions lost in 5 institutions affected severely affected in Guantanamo municipality of municipalities in the municipality of 10 municipalities Baracoa Baracoa
Situation overview
National and provincial authorities in the most affected municipalities are prioritizing food accessibility for the population that still remains evacuated, as well as access to potable water, good hygiene, and the reestablishment of electricity and telecommunications.
Note: All the information in this report has been taken from Cuban official media (TV, radio, and press) and statements from Cuban authorities. Sources: Newspapers Granma, Juventud Rebelde, Periódico 26, Ahora Sierra Maestra y Adelante. Radio stations: Radio Rebelde, Radio Habana Cuba, Radio Angulo, Radio Mambí; Press agencies: Prensa Latina (PL) y Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN); Websites: Cubadebate. Supplementary data has been taken from the National Statistics Office website from official documents and from WFP staff in the field.
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The Ministry of Public Health recommends increasing the work being done in the sector of hygiene in the most affected municipalities in order to avoid the proliferation of vectors and the outbreak of infectious and contagious diseases.
As part of the rehabilitation efforts in the education sector, alternative educational spaces are being prepared in order to resume the academic year for all levels. In Baracoa alone, 30 spaces have been habilitated to welcome 11,000 students this coming Monday October 17th.
Local media in Baracoa reports that the amount of totally collapsed houses in that municipality has risen to 1,600. Local authorities announced the start of the sale of construction materials to the affected population.
Student groups, as part of university campaigns, are helping with the sanitization of the most affected communities and settlements and are conducting sanitation investigations and epidemiological vigilance in order to avoid disease outbreaks.
Humanitarian Response National authorities The most damaged Municipal Defense Councils have started to train people in charge of handing out subsidies for the construction and rehabilitation of homes.
The first deputy minister of Public Health called on the population of Guantanamo to take measures to avoid the proliferation of vectors and contagious diseases. He also reinstated the need to intensify the hygiene and sanitation efforts in Maisí, Imías, and San Antonio del Sur.
National press confirmed today that the group of 317 people that arrived to Cuba on a boat from Haiti only hours before the impact of Hurricane Matthew is composed of 43 children, 56 women, and 218 men - 313 are Haitians and 4 are Dominican. The group of migrants is currently accommodated in an evacuation center.
Evacuated population
National media reports that the following population remains evacuated in:
Province Evacuated people (12/10/16) Municipality Evacuated people (14/10/16) Total Evacuation centers Homes and Total Evacuation Homes and others centers others Guantánamo 74,000 13,000 61,000 Baracoa 14,065 3,747 10,318 (includes people Maisí No available data evacuated to caves) San Antonio 27 del Sur Imías 195 Yateras No available data Holguín 110 Moa No available data Sagua de Tánamo Antilla It is estimated that 100 inhabitants of the communities of the People’s Councils of Nibujon and Cayoguín of the municipality of Baracoa (Guantanamo) remain evacuated in the province of Holguín due to the collapse of the bridge over the Toa River.
International Community
A second cargo ship from the Bolivarian Armed Forces will arrive from Venezuela to the port of Santiago de Cuba this Saturday October 15th. Local media report that the first shipment received from Venezuela this Thursday 13th includes 375 tons of construction machines and equipment; 20 ton mobile cranes, dump trunks, tanker trucks for water, concrete trucks, loaders, backhoes, lift trucks, a wet mortar plant, cement silos, 20,000 cubic meters of roofs for 250 homes, and welded mesh for walls and roofs.
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María Luisa Bueno Oñate, delegate of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment and Foreign Collaboration in Santiago de Cuba, confirmed the aerial arrival of WFP’s first humanitarian help this Thursday 13th that consists of field warehouses and water purification tablets. The official also announced that several nations and non- governmental organizations have confirmed that their humanitarian aid will be channeled through this city in the coming days.
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan gave a donation of 15,000 tons of rice that arrived this 14th of October to Havana by boat in order to help the population affected by Hurricane Matthew.
The Government of Japan announced today that they will provide emergency aid to the Republic of Cuba in response to the needs of the people affected by Hurricane Matthew. The humanitarian aid will be managed by Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and will include portable water containers, water purifiers, among other products.
Sectors
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Damages: National authorities and technical staff continue to carry out damage assessments of the water, sanitation and hygiene sector. No official data has been provided so far.
Response: Municipal authorities in Guantanamo have identified water supply and sanitation among the priorities, as well as food security and the restoration of power and communication lines. Hygiene and sanitations measures are being taken throughout the province to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Province Municipality Damages in the water and sanitation sector Guantánamo Baracoa - Close health and hygiene monitoring is maintained. - Water supply to the population is provided through the gravity- driven water network and the Miel River aqueduct operating with a pumping system. Maisí - Youth leaders and community organizations are involved in clearing the debris on Cajobabo Beach. - Water supply is provided through three water trucks for a population of over 20,000 people. Additional tanks are expected. - The lack of electricity affects the water supply which has been solved through the provision of high-capacity generators. Imías - Sanitation is a key priority according to the President of the Municipal Defense Council. - 7,000 cubic meters of waste have been collected but an equal amount still needs to be picked up. - Except for Rio del Medio, Tacre and Bottom-Yacabo, the vast majority of households have electricity which in turn enables the restoration of the water supply. - Water supply needs to be restored in the towns of El Salao and 14 de Noviembre, which are currently provided for through water trucks. En San - Improvements have been made in the supply of safe water. Antonio del Disruptions persist in the villages of Yateritas, La Playa, Macambo Sur and Acopio that are currently being supplied by water trucks. Holguín In affected - Efforts are geared towards the rehabilitation of water and municipalities electricity services, as well as evacuees’ well-being.
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UNICEF: 300,000 water purification tablets supplied by UNICEF are being distributed in affected areas. UNICEF has developed a project proposal to respond to the immediate needs related to water and sanitation in the four most affected municipalities of Guantanamo: Baracoa, Maisí, Imías and San Antonio del Sur. The proposal has been channeled through the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), OCHA's financial tool for emergencies. UNICEF is finalizing its Action Plan to support the rehabilitation of water and sanitation services in the most affected municipalities in the provinces of Guantanamo (Baracoa, Imías, Maisí, Manuel Tames, San Antonio del Sur, Yateras) and Holguín (Moa and Sagua de Tanamo), where the largest damages have been reported.
Food Security Damages: The Ministry of Agriculture has shared preliminary data about the impacts of 22,500 Hurricane Matthew on agricultural production. hectares of agricultural It is estimated that 22,500 ha were affected in the municipalities of Baracoa, production lost in 5 Imias, Maisi and San Antonio del Sur (province of Guantanamo) and Moa municipalities (province of Holguin).
Crop losses per municipality Implications for livelihoods
Crop Baracoa Imias Maisi
Coffee All coffee beans in plantations No 1,094.8 tons of cherry coffee; Coffee is the main economic fell from the trees. information 160.4 tons of green coffee; sector in the municipality of Maisi 11 tons. had been collected available 4,940 hectares, (the main coffee producer in the prior to the passage of the 150,000 seedlings and country). hurricane. 88,000 cans (equivalent to 997 tons) Cocoa 3,365 hectares No 570 hectares, plus Cocoa is also a key crop in the information 20 tons planned for the short- two municipalities. available term harvest
Coconut 5,767.2 hectares No No information available Baracoa is the main coconut information producer available in Cuba.
Plantain Crops were lost. 1,300 No information available It is the second most important hectares (extended areas) crop in the municipality of Maisí. Tubers Cultivations of yucca and 500 hectares 4,000 hectares Short-cycle crops are key for and malanga were severely of vegetables ensuring food supply to the vegetables affected and these products and 34 population in the short term. had to be harvested hectares of prematurely. Losses also grains include vegetables and plants in seed beds for the winter- sowing. Forestry No information available 1,000 Almost 100% - Thousands of Damages to forest heritage hectares of trees were torn down, disrupt environmental balance, citrus trees including citrus trees and including plagues and plant and almost other fruit trees. diseases. 3,000 hectares of fruit trees
Hurricane Matthew impacted poultry farms – damaging 12 facilities, as well as a roofing surface of nearly 45,000 m2. Beekeeping was also impacted, affecting more than 1,000 beehives and melliferous flora. According to authorities, the current conditions may lead to the outbreak of diseases and plagues that could affect the surviving crops and animals.
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Response: Maisí The sale of daily food baskets resumed in the city of La Maquina (Maisí). Different facilities were used for this purpose (including houses). According to the Minister of Internal Trade, a tarp was assembled in the area and will be used as a wholesale warehouse for the storage of key basic products. Three electricity generators are being used to keep the most important food processing centers running The most important food processing facilities are up and running thanks to three electricity generators. Seven bakeries are producing bread, biscuits and sweets. Other markets and small activities are also opened, such as shops charging in Cuban peso (“moneda nacional”). The President of the Municipal Defense Council stated that food and water supply for the population is a key priority. Prior to the passage of Hurricane Matthew, 1,476 tons of coffee were collected during the municipal harvest – corresponding to over 60 percent of the 2,460.7 tons or 217,000 cans planned. Moreover, 150 tons of coffee that were stored in warehouses were preserved.
Baracoa Technical teams started to repair roofing in the food processing centers and other important facilities in the municipality, such as the government wholesale warehouse “614” in El Turey area.
San Antonio del Sur The area of Valle de Caujeri resumed coffee harvest in mountainous areas and agricultural activities with the sowing of short-cycle tubers and vegetables. This will ensure food supply to the population of San Antonio del Sur and, where necessary, to Baracoa and Maisí – which productions were devastated by the hurricane.
WFP: WFP is following up to its emergency operation to assist the vulnerable populations in the areas affected by the hurricane, comprising of 180,000 people. In close collaboration with the Government, WFP is coordinating the transportation of its prepositioned food stock (1,606 mt of rice and beans) to the eight most affected municipalities (Baracoa, Caimaneras, Imías, Maisí, Manuel Tames, San Antonio del Sur and Yateras in the province of Guantanamo, and Moa in the province of Holguin). WFP’s support also includes the distribution of fortified cereal (composed of maize and soy) to pregnant women, as well as micronutrient powders to children of 12-23 months of age. This will increase the daily intake’s nutritional value of these vulnerable groups. WFP continues mobilizing funds for its emergency operation, amounting to approximately USD 4 million. The Government of Canada has confirmed a contribution for this operation.
FAO:
FAO continues liaising with its headquarters to support the rapid resumption of agricultural production. For this purpose, FAO is counting with an initial amount of USD 500,000. It will initially support 157,000 people from the four most affected municipalities in the province of Guantanamo with activities to restart agricultural production. FAO is mobilizing additional resources for its emergency response.
Shelter and Early Recovery
Damages: 4,000 houses damaged in the Damages to the housing fund are still being quantified. municipality of Imías In Maisí, most affected houses had zinc or asbestos cement roofs. Only the masonry roofs withstood the hurricane.
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Damages to the housing sector Provinces Municipalities Affected houses Complete Partial Total losses in Partial losses in collapses collapses roofs roofs
Guantanamo Baracoa 9,210 1,600 1,391 No available data 4,371
Maisi Over 94% of the 12,000 houses affected. 90% of homes affected in the municipal capital.
Imias Over 56% of the 496 612 835 6,756 houses affected
San Antonio 678 63 192 No available data del Sur
Yateras No available data
Holguin Moa (About) 2,300 163 397 No available data
Response: In terms of housing, the following actions are reported for the municipality of Baracoa: - Baracoa is receiving a donation of 20,000 traditional clay tiles and a qualified brigade from the Historian’s Office of the city of Camaguey. - Baracoa already counts with 116,000 tiles for the reparation of roofs. 30,000 asbestos tiles, 11,000 zinc tiles, and 75,000 asphalt tiles have already arrived. - Baracoa is receiving 479 tons of cement for 8 points of sale destined to the population. Of this quantity, a small amount will be given to entities related to the production of food and the resumption of the academic year. - Conditions are being created to start with the productions of cement blocks for construction purposes. - Technical worksheets and certification for affected populations are being produced for the sale of construction materials.
The gradual rehabilitation of the electrical service continues. Authorities of the Electrical Company informed, through national TV, that 83,3% of the population of Guantanamo has electricity. Maisí and Baracoa have been reconnected to the electrical network. The distribution in the most affected municipalities goes as follows:
Baracoa: 19% of the population counts with electricity and 68 brigades of electricians are working on the reestablishment of the service. The Electrical Company expects that, by Sunday October 16th, the entire city of Baracoa will have electricity, with very few exceptions. Maisí: 2% of the population has electricity. 10 brigades are working in the municipality and aim to finish the recovery efforts by next week. San Antonio del Sur: 91,5% of the population has electricity. Imías: 88% of the population has electricity. Yateras: 97% of the population has electricity.
UNDP: 9,070 tarps are prepositioned for distribution in the provinces of Holguín and Guantanamo. 20 mills from another UNDP project are being relocated to help with the recycling of debris. With 500,000 USD from their own emergency fund and 100,000 USD from OCHA’s Cash Grant, UNDP is purchasing 9,000 tarps, 7500 cooking kits, and 5,800 mattresses that will start arriving at the Port of Santiago de Cuba from the 27th of October and will be given to families in need in Baracoa and Maisí. UNDP, together with Cuban institutions, is formulating a program for the early recovery of the housing fund for a total of 10 million USD. UNDP invites its partners to support this initiative in order to replicate the project of housing recovery realized in Santiago de Cuba in response to Hurricane Sandy.
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Health Damages:
19 health facilities were confirmed as the most damaged (2 hospitals and 17 polyclinics). Additionally, 25 Family Doctors and Nurses Cabinets (CMF for its Spanish 79 acronym) and 15 drugstores, in Baracoa, were also affected; as well as 13 drugstores health in Maisí, 5 more in Imías and 2 in San Antonio del Sur. Moreover, other medical institutions Institutions, that are yet to be quantified, have also experienced damages. damaged in 10 municipalities Province Municipality Affected Affected Affected Affected Polyclinics Hospitals CMF Drugstores Guantánamo Baracoa 3 1 25 15 Maisí 1 0 ND 13 Imías 1 0 ND 5 San Antonio del Sur 2 0 ND 2 Manuel Tames 2 ND ND ND Niceto Pérez 1 ND ND ND Caimanera 1 ND ND ND Yateras 2 0 ND ND Holguín Moa 2 1 ND ND Sagua de Tanamo 2 0 ND ND TOTAL 17 2 25 35 Baracoa: The Local Regional Center for the Production of Natural and Traditional Medicine suffered collapses and loss of roof.
Response: The Public Health services are kept operational using generators. The first deputy minister of Public Health called to fight the proliferation of vectors, to avoid the spreading of infectious diseases. Health authorities recognized the excellent sanitation work undertaken in Maisí, Baracoa, Imías and San Antonio del Sur. However, the hygienic conditions are not yet up to standards, for which sanitation actions must be intensified. Regarding the basic services such as water supply, the Ministry of Public Health reports that in those places where the pumps are working, water is being treated and distributed. The other locations are being supplied with tanker trucks. The Ministry of Public Health announced that the production and distribution of sodium hypochlorite throughout the province is guaranteed. The Ministry of Public Health reaffirms the need to follow sanitary and hygienic measures when it comes to water treatment and to apply proper methods for cooking and preserving food. The collection and treatment of solid waste is being carried out. Medical staff is present on every site including evacuation centers and remote communities. They are assisting patients in regard to all health programs and raise awareness of proper hygiene measures.
Possible needs identified with national health authorities:
Pre-identified needs: - Access to potable water: tanks of 2,500 liters and water pumps for health institutions. - Hypochlorite tablets for 1 liter and 5 liter, for personal and family use. - Hypochlorite tablets for 10 liters and / or 50 liters, to use in health institutions. - Epidemiological surveillance and vector control - Quick test, larvicides, adulticide, etc. - Diagnostic reagents (CHK, DENG, VZLA) - Essential drugs - doxycycline and others. - Equipment for health institutions in order to keep on saving lives: electric generators of different power levels and logistical support. - Media campaigns to communicate possible risks and threats - Damage recovery to stocks and infrastructure - Waste materials
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- Laboratory reagents - Water pumps - Portable generators - (Support for reconstruction if necessary)
New needs: - 4,500 square meters of roof for health institutions (complete kit) - False roof and blanket (amount to be defined)
UNFPA: Following the approval of the Emergency Fund, the United Nation Population Fund maintains close contact with the Cuban government and the Ministry of Public Health to coordinate the importation of hygiene kits and emergency Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) supplies, that aim to meet the needs of oral and injectable contraceptives; medical care for labor, management of natural abortions and complications, and gynecological obstetric assistance in emergency conditions. Moreover, they continue working on mobilizing resources to enable technical equipment care units for pregnant women and childbirth in the 17 polyclinics and 2 hospitals severely affected in the provinces of Guantanamo and Holguin.
Education Damages: Over 40% of the schools in Guantánamo have been damaged. 96% In Baracoa, 96% of the educational centers have been damaged (only 4 out of of the educational the 123 centers remain intact). In total, 52 school roofs have been partially institutions in the damaged, 52 schools lack a roof and 16 schools collapsed completely. municipality of In Baracoa and Maisí, damages and losses have been reported in terms of Baracoa are affected school equipment and audiovisual materials. Nearby provinces will be supporting these two municipalities.
Response: The Ministry of Education will ensure that children in the affected municipalities receive the essential means, including uniforms, to go back to school. In Maisí, efforts are geared towards the reestablishment of conditions to be able to resume classes on October 17th, mainly in houses and alternative spaces.
Province Municipality Responses in the educational sector Guantánamo Baracoa Over 11,000 students will resume classes on October 17th in 30 alternative spaces: 21 primary schools, 4 secondary schools, 1 high school, 1 school for children with special needs and 3 kindergartens. Maisí Classes will resume next week in alternatives spaces due to infrastructure damages. Imías This week, classes have resumed in 39 schools, some taking place in students or teachers’ houses. More classes are expected to resume in Imías. San Antonio del Sur Yesterday (October 13th) classes have resumed but in alternative spaces. Holguín Cayo Guin y 12 educational centers have re-opened their doors to Nibujón students.
UNICEF-UNESCO: A project proposal was developed by UNICEF to respond to the immediate needs related to the rapid return of children and adolescents to learning activities in safe spaces in the four most affected municipalities of Guantanamo: Baracoa, Maisí, Imías and San Antonio del Sur. This is to be done through the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), OCHA’s financial tool for emergencies.
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UNICEF and UNESCO are working on a Plan of Action which will focus on supporting the rehabilitation of schools and their water and sanitation services in the most affected municipalities: 6 in the province of Guantanamo (Baracoa, Maisí, Imías and San Antonio del Sur, Yateras and Manuel Tames) and 2 in the province of Holguín (Sagua de Tánamo and Moa), where the most severe damages in the educational sector have been reported.
Logistics Damages: Authorities continue to estimate that the food storage networks – that include warehouses and food distribution points (“bodegas”) – suffered serious damages in the municipalities of Baracoa and Maisí. This presents a serious challenge to ensure the storage of food assistance in the most affected areas.
Response: Technical teams are making arrangements in the Port of Baracoa to receive large loads of humanitarian aid, mainly materials to repair roofing. A specialized team is working to rehabilitate the roofs of affected warehouses. Preparatory measures are also in place at the Port of Santiago de Cuba, which is expecting to receive a second shipment of humanitarian assistance from the Government of Venezuela by tomorrow, Saturday October 15th.
WFP Five WiikHalls donated from WFP arrived yesterday, October 13th, in Santiago de Cuba by air cargo. Today, the WiikHalls will be dispatched to the municipalities of Baracoa and Maisí to protect the food destined to assist the most affected populations, as well as strengthen local storage capacities. The air cargo also includes 30 boxes of water purifying tablets donated by UNICEF. WFP is purchasing 400 pallets, which will serve as WiikHalls flooring to protect food commodities. The pallets are expected to arrive at the Port of Santiago by October 24th.
General Coordination
The Resident Coordinator is visiting international partners in order to mobilize support for the proposed actions by the United Nation System and international NGOs. The UNS agencies are finalizing their Plan of Action proposals.
Crisis background The municipalities of Maisí, Baracoa, Imías, and San Antonio del Sur in the province of Guantanamo, are considered to be the most affected, as they are facing a critical situation in terms of housing, agriculture, forest heritage, basic services, and infrastructure. The province of Guantanamo counts with over 70,000 evacuated people; 15,000 in Baracoa and an even higher number in Maisí where the destruction of the housing fund was widespread. Recovery brigades of different sectors, syndicate representatives, social organizations and artists are arriving to the most affected territories to support the population. National and sectorial authorities as well as specialists continue working on the evaluations of the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew in the eastern region of Cuba.
For further information, please contact: Myrta Kaulard, Resident Coordinator, UN System in Cuba, [email protected], Tel: +53 7 204 1492 Liudmila Curbelo, Coordination Officer, UN System in Cuba, [email protected], Tel: +53 7 204 1513
For further information, please visit: www.unocha.org, www.reliefweb.int, www.redhum.org, www.onu.org.cu.
For further information, please visit: Instituto de Meteorología de Cuba: http://www.met.inf.cu Granma: http://www.granma.cu Juventud Rebelde: http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/ Agencia Cubana de Noticias: http://www.acn.cu/ Cubadebate: http://www.cubadebate.cu
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