Colombia Floods December 2008

Post Intervention Report

Author: Diego Hernandez – DSVO – WSPA Andean Region

Introduction

This report covers the WSPA response actions during December 2008 to carry out the feed delivery in four affected areas impacted by heavy storms in Colombia during the second rainy season in 2008.

Bolívar

Antioquia

Caldas

Risaralda/Huila/Cauca

Background

Colombia has been severely affected by floods and landslides caused by extreme rainfall which began in mid- September and increased in intensity over the following two weeks. According to the Colombian Institute for Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), this heavy rainy season (associated with tropical depressions crossing the country and cyclone systems which have been moving through the Caribbean over the past three months) has been one the harshest and most disastrous of recent times in Colombia, not only because of the level of precipitation but also because of the high level of damage caused in different regions of the country. Colombia is a country with one of the greatest hydrological resources, rivers, streams and water sources globally with five major watersheds.

Impact

According to Colombia civil defence, (SNPAD- National System of prevention and attention of Disaster) its last official report of the second wave of winter, which began on September 15th, reported:

• 68 dead • 98 injured • 18 missing • 1,225,146 people affected and • 247,943 affected families. • Some, 2348 houses have been destroyed and 92,760 damaged. • 428 municipalities that have been reported in 27 emergency departments.

Internal roads overflowed by the

floods – WSPA photo

Type of Emergency

551 Emergency registered so far

Floods 406 - 73.68%

Strong wind 39 – 7.07% Land and mudslides

104 – 18.86%

This year Civil Defence has reported 250,000 more people affected by floods than last year. In these communities there is a high level of unattended basic needs. In particular people needed shelter, hygiene kits, cleaning materials, cooking utensils, medicines, batteries, lighters, food and tanks for water storage. The Winter Season Report of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) emphasized the serious situation. This winter wave has caused the overflow of Rivers Magdalena, Cauca, Atrato and all its tributaries, causing destruction of houses, loss of crops, animals and much of the agricultural tools. The rains fell in these river basins, intensifying the already critical humanitarian situation. These rivers rose up to six meters above its usual level in some places. According to Agriculture Ministry (ICA), the rains that hit Colombia since September have destroyed 44,510 hectares of crops and killed at least 10,000 head of cattle.

Even though the number of animals affected is not exact, it is assessed that 16,000 have been affected. Animal welfare needs Many livestock holdings were evacuated towards higher lands, but the more affected areas had led to farm animals and pets being left behind. Many small and some large farm animals were then taken by their owners to human shelters, but they were removed by Health officials.

The rice crops were totally destroyed – WSPA photo

Some rabies preventive vaccination programs were initiated on companion animals, so that they could be relocated to other areas (enclosures, corrals) without much care or control, mixed by species and with little food availability. Species Identified Needs Areas & Amount Distributed

Hay packs Antioquia – Caldas 1100 packs x 2 districts

Mineral Salt 38 sacks delivered in Bolivar and Antioquia.

Bovine – 7000 Equines - 500

Sacks balanced food

Swine – 3000 Poultry - 5000

Sacks of swine balanced food

182 sacks x 30 & 40 kg

Dogs – 4000+ Sacks of dog food 86 sacks x 20kg

Proposed Intervention

In order to respond quickly and effectively, WSPA identify the priority of be covered in most affected areas and where our member societies have possibility of work. WSPA was monitoring the situation closely in coordination with Ms and veterinary faculty CES in Medellin. The provision of feed in the affected areas is practically non-existent, or has been severely affected by the emergency, so the main goal was assist the animal population with feed reinforcing their metabolic rate and to allow a better chance to face and reduce the stressful situations. Four teams were establishing for support the activities across the food delivery to animals affected in following areas:

Animals wandering by the road

without grass to eat – WSPA photo

Area Length GPS Bolívar Department 25.978 km2 8°58’46.24’’N 74°27’37.06” O Antioquia Department 62.839 Km2 6º50’31.33”N 75º34’11”15” O Caldas Department 7.888 km2 5º20’00,17’’N 75º19’01,29’’ O Risaralda/Huila/Cauca departments

3.592 Km2 2º33’25.52’’N 75º40’36,60’’O

In every department was WSPA coordinated its member societies in the delivery of aid with support of local authorities and livestock agency.

Bolivar

December 18th – 21st

The department of Bolivar was the most affected by flooding, with 254,663 people affected. WSPA member society FRAD (Fundacion de Rescate para animales desamparados) started to deliver carrying a total of 2.5 tons of food which was distributed in 4 regions affected by heavy rains localized to just over 300 km away.(Magangue district) Several roads were not cleared, so the use of boats was necessary to get access to places where even the local agencies of government didn’t have resources. 1346 animals were given relief although the water level is not dropping as expected.

According to environmental authorities two months will needed for this population recover their dry land again. WSPA coordinated, monitored and provided logistical support to ensure the delivery of food and increase the AW strategy.

Antioquia

December 19th – 21st

The strong rains during December that whipped the North East zone of Antioquia caused several floods that left without hundreds of animals (cattle, horses and goat mainly) without food and thousands of families were left without economic sustenance. A great wave of water overflowed from the Cauca River leaving most in the municipality of Nechí without a means of transport. Some of the aftermath of the floods were:

• 95% of land flood • 21000 people without land communication • 1500 cattle without food • 700 equines without food

• 100 goats without food • 95% people affected • 270 families severely affected • 10.000 tons of rice affected

All these communities has at least 10 animals per family Antioquia department was lead by CES University, which will have the ERU program for 2009. A total of 1900 animals were given relief and some food for few days while the levels of water start to decrease.

Caldas

December 15th – 20th

Member society AMAN, who participating during the last intervention in Colombia, (First rainy season) lead this operation for 4 days. AMAN, (Amigos de los Animales y la Naturaleza) who participated during the last intervention in Colombia, lead the operation, delivering food in a 250 km area and providing

veterinary care for animals affected in several towns in the area. The main areas of work were La Dorada, Puerto Salgar, and some rural areas close to Manizales. WSPA were supporting with transport, logistics and distribute of feed. 974 animals were provided with food and veterinary assistance.

Risaralda – Cauca –

Huila

December 14th – 19th

Member Society APAP (Asociación Protectora de los Animales y las Plantas)had good experience disaster interventions and field work during the past years and conducted an assessmentof three departments affected by the floods. These departments despite reported livestock affected also had large numbers of companion animals in rural areas affected.

Part of their work was getting access to the area inhabited by indigenous communities where the presence of companion animals was very high. Practically all the indigenous communities affected by the emergency live in areas heavily affected.

Aid Delivered

Food during a week to 4766 animals distributed as follows:

• 1966 Cattle • 960 equines • 404 goats • 1041 pets • 68 swine • 327 poultry

Achievements

The main achievements were:

• Successful assessments in four areas of the country. • Coordination of four groups by the WSPA team. • The effective transport and distribution of more than 20 tons of food for

animals affected by flooding. • Achieve approval and WSPA recognition of local authorities.

Unloading hay of the truck

– WSPA photo

Hay Transport – WSPA photo

Lessons Learned

• Due to the cyclical events, is necessary to increase WSPA response capacity,

strengthening the member societies and engage in advocacy to ensure that civil issues into local civil defence.

• Emergency funds contributed not only to provide food and care for animals affected by the emergency, but also indirectly supporting the psychosocial recovery of communities.

• Animal needs should be identified with official entities with the purpose of implementing new health campaigns.

Finances

WSPA requested US$20.000 to meet the immediate needs of animals.

WSPA Feed Delivery – Colombia 2008

Location/Department Item Cost US$ Assign spend

Bolívar

Animal Food Transport Logistic Other

3100 960 600 340

5K 5K

Antioquia

Animal Food Transportation Logistic Other

2940 1350 980 580

5K *5.8K

Caldas

Animal Food Transportation Logistic Other

1860 740 860 400

4K 3.9K

Risaralda/Huila/Cauca

Animal Food Transportation Logistic Other

3460 980 780 260

5K 5.0K

TOTAL 20190 Travel assessment 631

Delivered Actions - Details

ITEM

Quantity

Cost/unid US$

Total Cost US$

Hay 1800 1,700 3060

Balanced Feed 278 2500 6950

Transportation (Hay-sacks balanced – mineral salt)

2078 1,800 3740.4

Transport (Teams) 4 teams 629/each team x 4 persons x 4 days

2510

Lodging & food 4 teams 580 per team x 4 days

2320

T-shirt 15 10 150

Photographer 3 320 960

Other 1 500 500

TOTAL

U$ 20190

*Additional costs (Antioquia) were assumed by CES University.

Information Sources Bolívar

• Edgar Lario, CREPAD Regional Coordinator Disaster prevent and attention office. Ph: (57) 311 4018587

• Gloria Cardona – El Universal – Local Newspaper Ph: (574) 6501050 • Ingrid Hernández – Veterinary UDCA university. ingridhdezsoto@hotmail.com • Enrique Núñez Díaz, Agriculture Secretary - agrobolivar@hotmail.com

Antioquia

• Dr. Santiago Henao, CES’s Veterinary and agriculture Faculty Dean - shenao@ces.edu.co • Carolina Vásquez Toro, Administrative coordinator – FEDEGAN cvasquez@fedegan.org.co • Juan David Fernando Pérez Gallego, Logistic Coordinator SIMPAD • juand.perez@medellin.gov.co • John Freddy Rendón, DAPARD Regional Director, dapard@gobant.gov.co • Camilo Zapata Wills, SIMPAD Regional Director, camilo.zapata@medellin.gov.co • Juan Diego Páez Sierra, Veterinary CES University, juandiego17@hotmail.com

Caldas

• Juan Sebastián Gómez, Manizales President Local Council Ph: +571 6 8845527 -

juan11se@hotmail.com • Juan Manuel Osório, Firs aid Director. Colombian Red Cross – Ph 571 - 8866300 • socorrocaldas@cruzrojacolombiana.org • Julian Andres Vasco, Government Secretary. julivasco@hotmail.com

Risaralda/Huila/cauca

• Monica Londoño, MS – APAP – President, Ph: 571 – 3258311 - apap@telesat.com.co • Manuel Antonio Macías - Agriculture Secretary secreagricultura@gobernacionhuila.gov.co

Photos A selection of photos are available on request. Ends