Date: Sun, 16 Apr 95 09:26:02 EDT
From: incident@vita.org (Disaster Information Administrator)
CAPE VERDE
VOLCANIC ERUPTION - FOGO VOLCANO
DHA-GENEVA SITUATION REPORT NO. 5
15 APRIL 1995
SITUATION
---------
1. DHA UNDAC TEAM REPORTS THAT THE VOLCANO IN FOGO ISLAND, CAPE
VERDE, IS STILL ACTIVE AND STILL PRESENTS A THREAT. NO WAY OF
PREDICTING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN VOLCANO ACTIVITY. IF ERUPTION
CONTINUES THE MOST LIKELY WORST-CASE SCENARIO WILL BE LAVA
FLOWING DOWN EAST SIDE, CUTTING OFF TWO THIRDS OF THE ISLAND
FROM THE AIRPORT AND DESTROYING THREE TO SIX VILLAGES - DEPENDING
ON THE FLOW OF THE LAVA - MAKING THUS 2500 TO 6000 (15 PER CENT
OF FOGO POPULATION) PEOPLE HOMELESS. THE PRESENT LAVA FLOW HAS
DESTROYED 10 PER CENT OF FOGO AGRICULTURAL LAND AND DISPLACED
ABOUT 1300 PERSONS (CONTRARY TO 5000 MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE
WEEK), OF WHICH 900 ARE IN 4 TENT CAMPS (500 IN THE CAMP NEAR SAO
FILIPE), 120 IN SCHOOLS AND THE REST WITH FAMILIES.
2. THE OLD CRATER AREA (IN WHICH THIS NEW ERUPTION HAS OCCURRED
AND WHERE THE LAVA IS STILL CONTAINED) HAS BEEN EVACUATED, BUT
THERE ARE STILL VERY FEW PERSONS WHO REFUSE TO LEAVE BECAUSE,
AMONG OTHER THINGS, OF THEIR CATTLE. MOST LIVESTOCK IN THE
CRATER AREA IS STILL THERE. SOME OF THE VILLAGES IN THE
THREATENED AREA HAVE BEEN LEFT BY THE POPULATION.
3. THE AUTHORITIES ARE MONITORING THE LAVA SITUATION SO AS TO
GIVE EARLY WARNING TO THE REST OF THE POPULATION LIVING IN THE
THREATENED AREA.
4. CONCERNING HEALTH, THERE ARE AT THE MOMENT NO SIGNS OF CHOLERA
OR DIARRHOEA.
NATIONAL RESPONSE
-------- --------
5. THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES' RESPONSE IS WELL
COORDINATED AND COPES WELL WITH THE PRESENT SITUATION.
6. THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, THE MILITARY, THE TWO CIVILIAN
MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES IN FOGO (HEADED BY THE TWO MAYORS) AND THE
NATIONAL RED CROSS SOCIETY ARE COORDINATING BETWEEN THEM IN
RESPONSE TO THE EMERGENCY AND FORM THE NATIONAL/LOCAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
7. ALL DISPLACED PERSONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY THE
AUTHORITIES OR THEIR OWN FAMILIES. PRESENT EMERGENCY NEEDS ARE
NOT SEEN AS A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE SHORT-TERM
PREPAREDNESS IN CASE THE VOLCANO DISPLACES UP TO 6000 PEOPLE, AS
MENTIONED BEFORE, AND LONG TIME PREPAREDNESS IN CASE ANOTHER
ERUPTION OCCURS AFTER THE PRESENT EMERGENCY.
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
------------- --------
8. THE ASSESSMENT MISSION HAS BEEN DONE JOINTLY BY THE DHA UNDAC
TEAM WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE,
COUNTRY DIRECTOR OF WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE
FROM MSF-BELGIUM. THE MISSION VISITED THE DISPLACED PERSONS AND
THE THREATENED AREA ON THE EAST-SIDE OF THE ISLAND.
THE TEAM HAS HAD PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS WITH BOTH MAYORS IN
FOGO, THE MILITARY, THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND NATIONAL RED
CROSS.
9. CONTRIBUTIONS REPORTED TO DHA GENEVA
------------- -------- -- --- ------
UN USD
-- ---
DHA CASH GRANT 30,000
COUNTRIES
---------
BELGIUM TWO RELIEF FLIGHTS FROM
THE DHA-PISA WAREHOUSE,
ITALY TO CAPE VERDE ++
ITALY RELIEF GOODS FROM THE DHA-PISA
WAREHOUSE (24, 500 KGS) 184,000
FUEL COST FOR RELIEF FLIGHTS ++
LUXEMBOURG CASH GRANT OF LUF 6,000,000
THROUGH DHA-GENEVA 200,000
PORTUGAL DISASTER RELIEF ITEMS 15,OOO KGS ++
TEAM OF VOLCANOLOGISTS
(LEAVES ON 21 APRIL) ++
USA CASH GRANT (THROUGH THE LOCAL
RED CROSS) 25,000
HUMANITARIAN/VOLCANOLOGICAL
ASSESSMENT TEAM ++
(LEAVES ON 19 APRIL)
++ NO SPECIFIED VALUE IS REPORTED
10. UNDP INTENDS TO FUND A NATIONAL TEAM OF GEOLOGISTS AND ONE
VOLCANOLOGIST TO OVERSEE THE VOLCANIC SITUATION UNTIL THE END OF
THE ACTIVITY.
THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE RED CROSS AND RED
CRESCENT SOCIETIES WILL SEND CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH THE NATIONAL
RED CROSS SOCIETY.
NEED IN INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE
---- -- ------------- ----------
11. THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MET. THERE IS STILL A
NEED FOR CASH CONTRIBUTIONS, AND THE NORTHERN MUNICIPALITY WILL
NEED 5000M OF ELECTRICAL CABLE (220V) IF LARGER EVACUATION IS
NECESSARY.
12. THE SHORT-TERM NEEDS CONCERN HELPING THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES
TO COPE IN CASE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED WORST CASE SCENARIO IN
THIS EMERGENCY. THE LONG-TERM NEEDS CONCERN HELPING THE LOCAL
AUTHORITIES TO BUILD UP A CIVIL PROTECTION PREPAREDNESS AGAINST
FUTURE VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS.
13. DHA IS PREPARED TO SERVE AS CHANNEL FOR CASH CONTRIBUTIONS
TO BE USED DURING IMMEDIATE RELIEF PHASE. FUNDS ARE SPENT IN
COORDINATION WITH RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS OF U.N. SYSTEM, AND DHA
PROVIDES DONOR GOVERNMENTS WITH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION ON
UTILIZATION OF FUNDS CONTRIBUTED.
14. FUNDS SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO DHA ACCOUNT NO. C0-590.160.1
AT SWISS BANK CORPORATION, CASE POSTALE 2770, CH-1211 GENEVA 2,
WITH REFERENCE: CAPE VERDE - VOLCANIC ERUPTION, DHA-GENEVA
15. FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES, DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM
DHA-GENEVA, AS INDICATED BELOW, OF BILATERAL RELIEF
MISSIONS/PLEDGES/CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING VALUE BY
ITEM.
+ DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - GENEVA +
TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917-1234
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY: TELEPHONE +41-22-9172010
DESK OFFICER: DMITRI BALABANOV, DIRECT TEL: +41-22-9172827
PRESS TO CONTACT -DHA GENEVA SPOKESPERSON:
MS MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL: +41-22-9172856
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22-917-0023
INTERNET EMAIL: DHAGVA AT UN.ORG
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