Disasters This Week: December 2014

Friday, December 12, 2014

December 12, 2014

What happened this week?

Panama: Earthquake. Earthquake 6.5 magnitude and 32 kms depth was registered in the south of Pavones in the pacific between Costa Rica and Panama. No victims or considerable damages were reported. Preventive evacuation of The Regional Hospital of David. Several aftershocks were registered with no consequences... Read More

Guatemala: Earthquake. Earthquake 5.6 magnitude. On December 7, 2014 INSIVUMEH reported that from 06:11 to 16:27 hours, fourteen telluric movements were perceived with an intensity between 3.8 to 5.6 degrees in the Richter Scale. The strongest were registered at 06:11 and 15:16 hours, both of 5.6 degrees of intensity. Local media reports one dead and some minor damages... Read More

Costa Rica

: Turrialba Volcano. A new eruption at 09:30 pm on Monday. There are reports of ashfall in Desamparados, Alajuelita, San Jose centro, Zapote and Tres Ríos. Also, people in these communities reported a stronfg sulfur smell. Authorities are on alert in the event of ash level rise... Read More

Peru: Floods. Floods from December 7 Mojon, Amazonas department has a total of 93 people and 22 homes affected... Read More

Powerful 6.2 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Argentina. The quake was very deep, at over 100 miles below the surface and struck in a remote mountainous region near the borders with Chile and Bolivia... Read More

Interesting Facts

U.S. tornado numbers among lowest in recorded history in 2014. At least 400 fewer tornadoes than average have touched down in the U.S. this year, making it one of the quietest years on record for twisters, according to the National Weather Service (NWS)... Read More

What's new in Disaster Risk Reduction?

Central America: Drought: About two and a half million people in Central America are being affected by drought. Food security conditions might be worsening in the coming months once food stocks have exhausted. The UN system has mobilized financial resources and coordinates, together with the countries plans for emergency response... Read More

Pushing for Gender Equity at COP20: A group of activists tracking the inclusion of gender in the U.N. climate negotiations at Lima’s COP20... Read More

Friday, December 5, 2014

December 5, 2014

OAS Hosts Hemispheric Dialogue on Disaster Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change

OAS Headquarters

25-26 November 2014

The Organization of American States (OAS) hosted at its headquarters in Washington DC, the Third Hemispheric Meeting of the Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM), gathered under the theme “Integrating Disaster Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Development Agenda,” with the objective of sharing among member states experiences and practices to address the impact of natural phenomena and other types of emergencies.

The event, coordinated by the Department of Sustainable Development of the OAS, looks to promote opportunities for horizontal cooperation and greater collaboration between OAS member states and the agencies of the Inter-American System and that of the United Nations. The debates were divided in three discussion panels, made up of various specialists on the management, mitigation and prevention of risks, especially those associated with natural phenomena... Read more Leer más

The complete video of the event is available at https://www.youtube.com/user/OASVideos/videos

Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction Divides Tasks among Members in Meeting at the OAS

The Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, today presided over a meeting of the Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR), on behalf of the Chair of the Committee and Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, at which members established a new division of labor.

The members of the Committee signed an Aide Memoire in which they reaffirmed their commitment to the body, as the main forum of the Inter-American System for the development of a strategic approach and coordinated action in matters of disaster risk management... Read more Leer más

OAS Hosts Regional Consultation of United Nations System “Toward the Global Humanitarian Summit”

The Organization of American States (OAS) today hosted at its headquarters in Washington DC, a regional consultation of the United Nations system under the title “Toward the Global Humanitarian Summit,” as part of the preparatory process for the Summit that will be held in 2016 in Turkey, which seeks to strengthen capacity and coordination of the international mechanisms for humanitarian assistance... Read more Leer más

What happened this week?

Guatemala. Overflow from the Chixoy River wreaked havoc in three villages in Ixcán; 685 people were evacuated, 555 remain sheltered in schools and the rest with relatives or neighbors... Read More

Honduras, Sonaguera, Colón. A landslide causes interruption of vehicular traffic for six days, and is preventing the entry of food and supplies to the area. There are currently no reports of difficulties in healthcare or injuries... Read More

Brasil, Acre State. Floods. The Ministry of National Integration declared a state of public calamity in Tarauacá because of the floods that have hit the city. Since November 20, the city has been in emergency situation because the level of the Tarauacá river has risen to 11.38 meters almost three meters above the warning level due to heavy rainfall affecting the city... Read More

Perú, Department of San Martin. Floods. This morning, following heavy rainfall, the Simacache river overflowed, affecting homes in the town of Nuevo Chimbote, Pachiza District, Province of Mariscal Cáceres. 350 people have been affected, 2 died, and 50 houses collapsed, according to the latest damage assessment. Departmental response... Read More