Rapid Response Payment No. 33/2007

Funds Sent To: Servicio Social de Iglesias Dominicanas - SSID

Amount Sent: 25,000 US$

Date: 23 November 2007

Details of Response

EMERGENCY: Floods caused by tropical storm Noel

DATE OF EMERGENCY: 31 October 2007

IMPLEMENTING MEMBERS: Servicio Social de Iglesias Dominicanas (SSID) and PROCARIBE

DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY: Tropical storm Noel struck Haiti and the Dominican Republic on 29 October 2007, leaving 118 people dead due to floods and landslides. According to the Dominican Republic National Commission for Emergencies' latest report issued on 3 November 2007: 87 people have been reported dead and 48 missing. Some 16,712 houses were affected of which 737 completely destroyed. The numbers of people displaced is estimated to exceed 66,800 (about 23,000 spread in 121 shelters and 43,500 in homes of relatives and friends). Overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in the shelters are causing intestinal diseases and conjunctivitis. Unhygienic conditions and diseases are likely to appear in homes too.

100 communities remain cut off by swollen rivers and 46 broken bridges. In the southwest of the country, provinces of Barahona and Azua still remain without electricity and telecommunications. Continued rains coupled with a lack of visibility made it impossible for authorities to access and survey these areas by helicopter up to recently. However, rains having now stopped, people are slowly recovering access.

ACT members Christian Aid, Church World Service (CWS), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), and Social Services of the Dominican Churches (SSID) assessed the needs in their respective geographical areas of work. Christian Aid already submitted an ACT appeal proposal that should be issued soon. SSID supported the work of rescue teams through provincial committees. Material delivered included blankets, dried food, chicken meat and medicine. SSID also provided relief items to churches network and related organizations.

SSID assessed the situation in the Southwestern region (San Juan, Barahona) and eastern region (Monte Plata), among the hardest hit regions.

Here are some of the SSID findings by provinces:

In Barahona: hundreds of people had to sleep on the roof of their houses. About 6,000 persons received shelter in local churches, schools and in entertainment centers. People suffer from lack of food, as stocks of local businesses are exhausted. The coffee production suffered considerable damage.

San Juan Province: There about 1,500 injured, houses are damaged, most of agricultural production was destroyed, and livestock suffered considerable loss. Hardest hit communities are Vallejuelo, El Batey, Los Arroyos, Sabaneta and Chalona, in needs of food and clothing.

Monte Plata: Various rural communities were cut off and hundreds of people brought to shelters. Although the rains and consequently the flow of the rivers have diminished, the situation remains critical in the province where communities remains without communication (Caguaza, Mata de los Indios, Casueza, Yabacao, El Coquito, Majagual, Joaquin St.).

PURPOSE OF RESPONSE

SSID will support about 2500 people in 20 communities with the distribution of food rations, bottled water, bedding and basic medicines, in the provinces of San Juan and Barahona (southwest) and Monte Plata (East). The beneficiaries are living in 10 communities in Barahona, 5 in the lower zone of Monte Plata and 5 communities in San Juan de la Maguana. These communities are located in the most affected areas and population is amongst the most vulnerable of the country, composed mainly of Haitian and Dominican-Haitian background. Some are now living in shelters and some remained in their house.

PROPOSED ASSISTANCE

SSID, together with its implementing partner PROCARIBE, will provide food rations and bottled water to last for two weeks to 500 families in the 20 selected communities, 100 mattresses and sheets/blankets to most vulnerable families and basic medicine and chlorine to communities.

IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY

Immediate assistance will be provided for the period of one month starting end November 2007. SSID and its implementing partner PROCARIBE will distribute food and water to families which did not benefit from supplies from government and other agencies. The food rations consist of rice, beans, sugar, corn flour, canned fish, milk, cooking oil, vinegar, sausages and bread and meet the Sphere standards. The mattresses and sheets will be distributed to families who have lost their property in the floods. Basic medicines (anti -parasites) and liquid chlorine for water purification will be provided to some vulnerable communities.

SSID is responsible for the implementation and will coordinate with the implementing partner PROCARIBE. SSID will open a separate account for funds provided by ACT Intl. and provide a narrative and financial report in accordance with ACT regulations.

SSID coordinates its activities with ACT member Christian Aid as well as partners close to the ACT alliance, namely PROCARIBE and Grupo de Pastores inter-denominacionales (GPI). PROCARIBE and GPI are implementing partners of ACT members Norwegian Church Aid and Church World Service and have a good track record of past implementation. An appeal will follow the RRF, as SSID is planning to support the rehabilitation of the affected communities. This appeal will be coordinated with Christian Aid to avoid overlapping of activities.

BUDGET: US$ 25,000

(For the detailed budget, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)

ACTION

The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of US$ 25,000 towards the budget from its Rapid Response Fund and would be grateful to receive contributions to wholly or partially replenish this payment. Should there be an appeal for this emergency, the RRF payment will be considered as an advance.

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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.