SitRep

United Nations System in

Situation Report 2 UN Disaster Management Team - Costa Rica

Tropical Storm TOMAS and Low Pressure System in the Caribbean Generalised flooding and landslides 5 November 2010 14:30 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 has 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 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.

According to reports from the National Meteorological Institute, torrential rain conditions may extend until late Friday 5 November; particularly in areas with depleted and flooded soils and overflown river basins.

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Rainfall has triggered landslides and floods, movement of around 2805 people to shelters on the Pacific and Central Valley; as well as destruction / damage on motorways, bridges, drinking water and sewage systems, housing. Some 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 seven 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 new order in co ordination with the Presidency. On Friday, schools in affected areas have 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:

Most 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, 4 Nov 2010)

Affected population (by 5 Nov, 13:00 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 2994 (aprox. 600 families) # Shelters 50 Shelters with adequate health / sanitation At least 15 conditions Shelters, health / sanitation information 12 unavailable so far

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

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

Motorways (National, Provincial, 161 Municipal) with total / partial damage by landslides Bridges (National, Provincial, Municipal) 43 with total / partial disruption, countrywide Houses 305 Small scale health centres (EBAIS, Not available, assessment underway in Equipos Basicos de Atenciòn Integral en heavily affected cantons Salud) Clinic, Parrita Functional / Operational damage; surgeries suspended Hospital, Isolated, surgeries suspended Water supply plants with damage of 20 different degree. Pipeline collapse in some systems; repair operations underway (source: CNE,CCSS, press)

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.

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.

4 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.

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 UNOCHA, 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. The CNE will be providing this information a soon as possible.

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]

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]

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

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