UNITED NATIONS IDENTIFIES NEEDS IN BOLIVIA

UNITED NATIONS IDENTIFIES NEEDS IN BOLIVIA

NEW YORK, 27 February (OCHA) -- The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team, together with the Government of Bolivia, have now identified the priority response needs, following the severe flooding in several parts of the country.

The On Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC), established in Santa Cruz within the local Emergency Operations Centre, formed six working groups (Health, Food, Emergency Shelters, Education, Rehabilitation, and Infrastructure/Re-channelling of the river) and determined that the urgent needs are the rapid improvement of the sanitary situation (latrines) and the quality of water; support of emergency shelter management; improvement of the quality of food supplies for children; psycho-social care of the population in the camps; and solutions for basic equipping of schools.

New rains are anticipated, which might provoke another overflow of the Rio Grande River and create new floods.  In the San Julian area, rising waters, although not particularly significant, are causing an increase in existing flood areas and affected communities.  The UNDAC team visited these areas and an emergency shelter in Cuatro Cañadas, San Julian.  Population migrations are irregular and intense, which renders more difficult the evaluation of, and assistance to, affected persons.

On 27 January, the Government of Bolivia issued Supreme Decree No. 28610, declaring a national emergency and authorizing Bolivian authorities to appeal for humanitarian assistance.  Donor countries, including Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Cuba, Japan, Peru, the United States and Venezuela, have reported contributions to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The World Food Programme (WFP) and the Bolivian Red Cross have distributed food and relief items to 1,800 families in San Borja, Luna de Vaca and Riberalta, and will extend operations to other affected areas in Beni, as soon as additional funds become available.

For further information, please call:  Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Kristen Knutson, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 9262; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570.

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For information media • not an official record