Rapid Response Payment Request No. 32/2008

Funds Sent To: Lutheran Church of Costa Rica (ILCO)

Amount Sent: US$ 60,000

Date: 3 December 2008

Details of Response

Emergency: Floods and landslides

Date of Emergency: 17 November 2008

Implementing Member: Lutheran Church of Costa Rica (ILCO)

DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY:

Reports from the National Meteorological Institute of Costa Rica indicate that on Nov. 17, 2008, a cold front occurred on the border between Honduras and Nicaragua, which headed southeast parallel to the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panamá. This caused an increase in the intensity of northern winds that brought cloudiness and windy conditions to the Caribbean, Northern Zone and Central Valle. These conditions have caused the rise and overflow of rivers, floods, mudslides and landslides. The cold front generated an important low pressure system, which covered most of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and the northern Caribbean coast of Panamá.

The storm has progressed slowly due to the friction of the land. It is estimated that last week in Limón alone, the storm caused accumulation of more than 550 mm of rainfall. Ocean conditions continue to be unsuitable for navigation in both the Caribbean and the North Pacific. In the North Pacific, winds continue from the north-northeast with velocities between 25-32 km/h., and swells of 2 meters high. In the Caribbean, winds from the east-northeast are expected with velocities between 17-27 km/h and swells 2.5 meters high.

At this time, according to the evaluation carried out by technical personnel of the National Meteorological Institute (IMN), Field Officials of the Red Cross, reports from Local Emergency Committees, and the National Commission on Risk Prevention and Emergency Response (CNE), a state and institutional declaration of Red, Yellow and Green alerts is being maintained in different areas of the country: Red Alert in the Atlantic Huetar Region: Talamanca y Matina, Yellow Alert in the Atlantic Huetar Region: Limón, Siquirres, Guácimo, Pococí and Heredia Region: Sarapiquí. Green Alert in many more locations in the regions of Alajuela, Cartago, San José, Heredia and the Northern Region.

ACTIONS TO DATE, AND EMERGENCY NEEDS:

The National Commission of Prevention and Emergency Response (CNE) has carried out a preliminary assessment in collaboration with the Red Cross, which is distributed among the humanitarian aid organizations network, of which ILCO forms part. Much of the information has been received from community and local emergency committees.

The figures of the damage are preliminary as the rains have not ceased and further consequences could make the numbers rise. At this time, the communities most affected are Talamanca, Sixaola, Matina, Sarapiquí and various nearby indigenous communities. The present conditions have generated the overflow of rivers and flooding. 27 communities with 3,760 people are reported to be inaccessible, one person dead. 6,777 people have found refuge in one of the 118 shelters. 108 communities in the cantons of Sarapiquí, Pococí, Guácimo, Siquirres, Matina, Limón, Talamanca and Sixaola are affected with at least 1,200 houses flooded. A minimum of 38 routes have been closed, dykes were damaged and 7 bridges affected.

PROPOSED EMERGENCY RESPONSE:

The Lutheran Church of Costa Rica will develop actions in conjunction with the development associations of the beneficiary communities. The aforementioned will be carried out via work connections previously made by the ILCO in these communities. Since the critical stage of the emergency began, leaders within the communities have kept us informed about the situation, although this has been difficult for some communities as they find themselves cut off and inaccessible.

- OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE:

To provide food and hygiene kits to families affected by flooding in the Caribbean region of Costa Rica.

- TARGET POPULATIONS:

500 families affected by flooding, landslides, mudslides and isolation because of the destruction of roads and bridges. The communities are Sixaola, Talamanca, Matina, Sarapiquí y Kachabri. The beneficiaries will be selected on the basis of the assessment by CNE / Red Cross.

Number of Communities: 5

Total Families affected: 1,800

Total affected Inhabitants: 9,000

Families to benefit: 500

Population benefited: 700 men, 1,000 women, 800 children. Total 2,500.

Among the affected population there are many women who are in charge of their households and work in agricultural activities, which were completely affected by the floods. Many women work in transnational banana and plantain businesses, which reduce their employees when these floods occur, leaving women without work. The food support would give them the possibility to sustain their families for at least a month while they stabilize their economic condition.

- PROPOSED ASSISTANCE:

• Assessment of the emergency situation in the zone.

• Networking and defining person in charge of beneficiary community

• Development of a database of beneficiary families

• Logistics to buy and deliver packets

• Transportation and logistics for delivery

• Monitoring of delivery of packets to beneficiary families

• Meetings with local leadership for logistics and feedback on the process.

• Evaluation of the process

• Accountability report

- IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS:

The Lutheran Church of Costa Rica will be the coordinating organization for implementation, and will receive the funds in a separate account. The project will be executed according to ACT guidelines.

The assessment will be done by leaders of the communities, who form community development associations and community emergency committees. In each community there is a team of 8-12 people; the majority of them are women. They are ILCO counterparts providing ILCO with information about the situation, completing lists, visiting families, organizing logistics for package delivery and monitoring the delivery, to later evaluate the process with ILCO.

The development associations' board of directors in each of the 6 beneficiary communities will be in charge of distributing the food packets in the communities of the Caribbean, as well as coordinating logistics and monitoring the delivery. The ILCO will be facilitating the process, providing follow-up to the execution of the planned activities.

Because of the scarcity of vendors in the region, as they too were affected, the purchases will be made in San José where this type of contract is more affordable. Moreover, vendors will facilitate the packing and transportation services. The purchases will be made according to the ACT's guidelines for purchases. Private business suppliers will be contacted, price quotes solicited and later ILCO will select a supplier according to the best price. The contract will be awarded to the best offer of three businesses. The distribution of the packages in the communities will be carried out utilizing delivery receipts. The logistical support will be completed by the leaders to deliver the packets and coordinate the prior organization.

At the end of the delivery process, ILCO will host a gathering in each community in which the execution of the RRF will be evaluated with each group of local support (the development association and emergency committee in each community) to systematize the execution process.

- COORDINATION:

ILCO has direct contact with the CNE: ILCO is recognized by CNE for the work that ILCO has completed in previous years in emergency situations. ILCO also forms part of a committee for psychosocial response in emergencies, which is coordinating with other state and private institutions, such as the Brigade of Psychosocial Response of the University of Costa Rica, World Vision, and UNICEF, among others.

- PLANNED IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD:

Implementation is proposed during a period of 3 months. In two months, the field actions will be carried out, and in the last month, the evaluation, feedback and reports will be completed.

BUDGET: US$ 60,000

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

ACTION

The ACT Co-ordinating Office has approved the use of US$ 60,000 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.