April 05, 2013

What happened this week?

Argentina. "Irresponsible Urbanization" was an essential cause for disaster and the deaths in La Plata
A fierce storm, spanning two days, in La Plata has left 51 (according to new reports) dead and a substantial amount of damage. The Chair of Hydrology at the Universidad Nacional de la capital provincial (UNLP), Pablo Romanazzi, said, "Urbanization grew chaotically and we are all responsible for this. Here no account was taken of the drain, never planned urbanization and irresponsibly. And the laws do not help: there are people living on the banks of the creek and have property titles , people who never should have been there. We urbanizing natural flood meadows having the stream and these are the consequences." The region is located west of a flood plain, with three streams surrounding it. Due to rapid urbanization and poor planning, the storm drains could not handle the runoff produced from the recently developed building, resulting in considerable flooding of the region..
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Bolivia. Red alert has been declared in Riberalta from possible floods
On Wednesday, the City Council Riberalta declared red alert in this population Amazonian Beni, from possible flooding from the rising waters of the rivers as a result of heavy rains. So far it has been reported that 300 people have been affected, along with 400 hectares of crops. 
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What's new in Disaster Risk Reduction?

USA. Primed and prepared: Flood-prone Fargo area has taken steps to get residents out of harm’s way
Since a record flood that nearly reach 41-feet in 2009, Fargo, North Dakota has taken drastic steps keep its citizens out of harms way. The city and county governments have allocated more than $200 million, mostly in federal funds, to build 25 miles of permanent levees and buy out about 500 homes. Fargo City Commissioner Brad Wimmer said the area has been able to cut its flood fighting efforts in half since 2009, including the number of structures that will need sandbagging.
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Colombia. More than 7,000 have been assisted by the MIES during this past winter
The Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES), through the Risk Management Division, is serving people affected by the strong winter storm, especially in the coastal region, where the highest number of floods. In total the MIES has tended to 7,245 people with 925 of these people in 34 different shelters of the MIES, and 1775 placed in home carers . The MIES is also providing food rations, sleeping kits, personal hygiene kits, cleaning kits, psycho emotional recovery of families and the intervention of other state services.
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Honduras. Foreign Ministry presented Manuals to the Diplomatic Corps and International Organizations to coordinate the efforts International Humanitarian Assistance
The Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Salome Castellanos Delgado and the Minister of the Permanent Contingency Commission (COPECO abbreviation in Spanish), presented to the Diplomatic Corps and International Organizations accredited in the country the "Manual of the Secretariat for Foreign Aid Management and Humanitarian Assistance" and the "Manual of the Coordination Center for Relief and Humanitarian Assistance". The Manual of the Secretariat for Foreign Aid Management and Humanitarian Assistance, contains the actions that the Foreign Ministry will launch from a declaration of national emergency and the Government's consent to receive and accept a coordinated humanitarian aid in a timely and effective manner. Under the Emergency Unit for International Management (UNEGI) and for its part, the Manual Coordination Center for International Humanitarian Aid establishes processes to coordinate assistance and aid before they arrive in the country to address the needs of people affected by a natural disaster.
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