ACT Alliance Alert: Tropical storm "Isaac", heavy rains, Dominican Republic

Alert  

Dominican Republic

Heavy rains due to tropical storm Isaac

Geneva, 31 August 2012

1.         Brief description of the emergency and impact

The tropical storm Isaac passed through the southern side of Dominican Republic on Friday, August 24, affecting the whole country with heavy rains for 48 hours.  According to the Emergency Operations Center, COE, floods and overflowing left 29,875 people from 116 communities, isolated or displaced, 6,693 houses damaged and huge losses in agriculture. In three of the regions where Dominican Churches Social Service and Christian Aid works (Southwest, South Central and South East) there are needs of clean water, shelter, health, housing and agriculture.

2.         Why is an ACT response needed?

An ACT intervention is needed because the damage exceeds the capacity of the community response, the Dominican Republic State and the organizations that constitute the local ACT forum. At Tuesday, August 28, the COE remains in alert in 11 provinces due to threats of flooding because the heavy downpours have already saturated soils and could worsen the current emergency.

3.         National and international response

The Dominican Republic Government is responding by rehabilitating roads and electricity networks. It has also provided support in agricultural rehabilitation focusing in most affected areas. However, there are lack of basic health services and support for small peasants in their agricultural recovery. 

4.         ACT Alliance response

The ACT Forum has field teams in different regions which have established coordination with local agencies, churches, other organizations and the COE. They are also conducting the needs assessment and assessing the resources available for the response.

5.         Planned activities

• Primary health care in shelters and affected families established in communities (food, water, personal hygiene items, mattresses and blankets)
• Sanitation response (disease prevention campaigns, support medications and hygiene items)
• Rehabilitation of communitarian water systems
• Coordination with the Ministry of Public Health to work against Leptospirosis
• Support in food security for peasants and small farmers

6.         Constraints

No constrains.

Contacts in Dominican Republic Forum:

Lorenzo Mota King, lmotaking@yahoo.es

Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jean-Daniel Birmele, Director of Finance (jbi@actalliance.org)