Peru: Floods DREF Bulletin No. MDRPE001 Final Report
The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 183 countries.
In Brief
Period covered by this Final Report: 6 March to 29 May 2006.
History of this Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF)-funded operation:
- CHF 50,000 allocated from the Federation's DREF on 5 March 2006 to respond to the needs of this operation.
- This operation was expected to be implemented in 3 months, and completed by 5 June 2006. In line with Federation reporting standards, the DREF Bulletin Final Report (narrative and financial) was due 90 days after the end of the operation (by 5 September 2006).
The International Federation undertakes activities that are aligned with its Global Agenda, which sets out four broad goals to meet the Federation's mission to "improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity".
Global Agenda Goals:
- Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters.
- Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies.
- Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability.
- Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and promote respect for diversity and human dignity.
Background and Summary
Between January and April 2006 torrential rains, electric storms, thunderstorms and strong winds affected more than 3,000 families and displaced 325 people in Tumbes - north of Peru - according to the national Civil Defence. The storms destroyed 65 houses and damaged 466. In addition, five schools, one health centre, one bridge, 41 kilometres of road and large areas of farmland suffered damages. These more accurate figures have replaced the initial statistics announced by local authorities which had, at the outset, stated that more than 180,000 people were affected by the emergency. The most affected areas were Puerto Pizarro, Aguas Verdes, El Triunfo and Los Galvines. The population in these areas has fishing as their main source of income and has very little capacity to cope with disasters of this kind.
Also during this time period, torrential rains affected the Andean departments of Huancavelica, Arequipa, Cuzco and Puno. Several mudslides blocked a number of roads, interrupted transport and raised river levels, threatening to devastate crops in farm lands.
In the initial days of the emergency, the national relief director of the Peruvian Red Cross (PRC), supported by the Pan American Disaster Response Unit's (PADRU) disaster management delegate, went to the field to coordinate joint actions with the Tumbes Branch of the PRC and conduct surveys of the affected communities. The following were identified as the most seriously affected:
Community
|
No. families
|
Aguas Verdes
|
145
|
Puerto Pizarro
|
596
|
El Triunfo
|
372
|
Total
|
1,113
|
Based on the assessments, the PRC, in coordination with the Tumbes Branch, put together a plan of action to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable, for which CHF 50,000 were allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF). A total of 12 volunteers were mobilized to support the activities. Families were selected based upon the level of damages they suffered, with a particular emphasis on elderly persons, single mothers and persons with disabilities.
To support the relief efforts of the PRC, a member of the Regional Intervention Team (RITs) from the Honduran Red Cross was sent to the field, supported by PADRU. Together with members of the Tumbes Branch, the RITs member assisted with the selection of beneficiary families, logistics for the preparation, coordination, and distribution of the relief items, and training of volunteers in community-based education for the prevention of dengue fever, malaria, and personal and community hygiene.
Distributions of relief items to the affected families began on 25 March 2006 and reached all 1,113 families that had been identified as the most seriously affected, as follows:
Community
|
No. families
|
Aguas Verdes (25 March)
|
145
|
Puerto Pizarro (25 and
26 March)
|
596
|
El Triunfo (26 March)
|
372
|
Total
|
1,113
|
It should be mentioned that the PRC
is currently going through a difficult period of institutional change:
the president of the National Society has been suspended since November
2005 and a temporary judiciary administrator has assumed this function
until the election of a new administrator. There have also been significant
staff changes, both within the National Society headquarters and within
the Branches, which complicated the relief effort.
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
In Peru: Luis La Cruz Gutierrez, National Relief Coordinator, Peruvian Red Cross; email coord-socorros@cruzroja.org.pe phone: (511) 93198-680
In Peru: Giorgio Ferrario, Head of Regional Delegation, Lima; email giorgio.ferrario@ifrc.org, phone (511) 221-8151, fax (511) 441- 3607
In Panama: Stephen McAndrew, Coordinator, Federation Pan American Disaster Response Unit, Panama; email stephen.mcandrew@ifrc.org, phone (507) 316-1001, fax (507) 316-1082
In Geneva: Olaug Bergseth, Federation Regional Officer, Americas Department, Geneva; email olaug.bergseth@ifrc.org, phone (41 22) 730-4535, fax (41 22) 730-0395
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.
For longer-term programmes in this or other countries or regions, please refer to the Federation's Annual Appeal. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for national society profiles, please also access the Federation's website at http://www.ifrc.org
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