ReliefWeb

Reporting Period: March, 2013 Thursday 14 at 12:00

• Situation Update

Heavy rains, in a very short period of time, have caused the overflow of the San Juan del Oro River and its tributaries in southwestern Bolivia, particularly in the Departments of Potosí, Tarija and Chuquisaca. Flooding has wiped out crops, mostly those at the riversides, and basic infrastructure such as small irrigation and drinking water systems, roads, houses and railroads. Small and subsistence farmers were about to harvest and, now, find themselves with no food reserves. Food stocks were also lost during the flooding.

According to Civil Defense reports, the rainy season has left some 110,000 affected people countrywide, 24 casualties and 12,000 hectares of crops destroyed. 25,000 peoples are in urgent need of food assistance.

The most affected Departments have declared Departmental emergency.
They have also requested WFP assistance. The Civil Defense has convened most of the humanitarian agencies to plan a coordinated response to the most affected populations in the south western part of the country.

On the other hand, during the last two days, heavy rains have caused flooding in the Chapare area of Cochabamba Department, where the Departmental Government reported some 6,000 families (30,000 people) from 120 communities of three municipalities (Villa Tunari, Chimoré and Puerto Villarroel). More than 5,000 hectares of crops have been destroyed. 108 families were already evacuated from the area. The Governor has declared emergency in the Department.

• Implementation and operations update

WFP, together with Civil Defense and the Department Governments have carried out four rapid assessment missions to the most affected regions.

More than 25,000 people are in need of food assistance. According to preliminary assessments, affected people will need food assistance for at least 3 to 4 months, until they recover their livelihoods.

In coordination with the Civil Defense, WFP will distribute 140 mt of rice to complement the Civil Defense rations for almost 5,000 families (25,000 people) as an urgent response. The rations will last 30 days. Meanwhile WFP, 2 the government and other humanitarian actors will mobilize resources and prepare the distribution of food and other humanitarian items to support the affected people for another 2 months.

Through these small interventions, WFP has exhausted its available stocks. As a consequence, an IR EMOP is being prepared to assist some 25,000 people in three departments for at least 2 additional months period.

• Resourcing Update

WFP exhausted available stocks of food, by using stocks from the PRRO 108360. Further responses will need additional resources. Therefore WFP will submit an IR-EMOP, and contact local donors to mobilize resources.