November 19, 2007

Torrential, and in some cases record, rains hit the western Pacific region of Nicaragua from Oct. 10-15, causing serious flooding that affected some 5,000 persons, about 2,119 of whom had to be evacuated from their homes. Particularly hard-hit was the department (province) of Chinandega.

The municipality of Villa Nueva, in Chinandega, with a population of 31,000, reported the loss of 2,511 acres of crops (corn, sorghum, sesame, and plantains) and domestic animal (cows, horses, chickens, and pigs). Infrastructure damages include 176 homes, 397 outdoor latrines, and the contamination of 120 water wells, leaving families without access to water. Food access has been hampered by difficult road conditions. This and excessive moisture caused by rains are resulting in deplorable health conditions for the affected population. Mosquitoes are proliferating, threatening to increase malaria.

RESPONSE: Church World Service is responding to this appeal by supporting the response efforts of CWS partners within the ACT Nicaragua Forum, which includes the Interchurch Center for Theological and Social Studies (CIEETS); Council of Evangelical Churches (CEPAD); the Nicaraguan Lutheran Church of Faith and Hope (ILFE); and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).

CWS partners carried out joint damage and needs assessments in Villa Nueva and are providing immediate food relief (corn, rice, beans, oil, sugar, cereals, milk, coffee and matches) and medical assistance (medicines to fight bronco-respiratory illness, diarrhea due to unhealthy conditions, malaria and dengue, skin illnesses, nutritional deficiencies, etc.) to 624 families in 15 rural communities.

The families are also being provided with personal hygiene kits, including laundry soap, bath soap, lice shampoo, sanitary napkins, toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and a comb. This packet will contribute to improve health conditions of the families.

Psycho-social assistance is also being provided. In addition, the ACT members provided tool kits -- including shovels, pick-axes, wheelbarrows, machetes, and mallets -- to help repair roads in the 15 communities.

After completion of these activities, ACT members and CWS partners plan to support the population with various rehabilitation efforts, including agriculture assistance (planting of seeds) for 897 families, the cleansing of wells and construction of 60 fertilizer-producing latrines, and capacity-strengthening to include disaster prevention in future activities.

Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be made online, sent to your denomination, or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Please designate: Nicaragua Floods (#6760).

Media Contact: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net