Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05COLOMBO225
2005-01-28 05:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

MALDIVES - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS: USAID/DART

Tags:  EAID AEMR PREL PGOV CE MV 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000225 

SIPDIS


STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA
TSUNAMI RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM

SIPDIS
DCHA/FFP FOR LAUREN LANDIS
DCHA BUREAU FOR ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR ROGER WINTER
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER
GENEVA FOR USAID KYLOH
ROME PASS FODAG
NSC FOR MELINE
CDR USPACOM FOR J3/J4/POLAD
USEU PASS USEC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AEMR PREL PGOV CE MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS: USAID/DART
SITREP #3

-------
SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000225

SIPDIS


STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA
TSUNAMI RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM

SIPDIS
DCHA/FFP FOR LAUREN LANDIS
DCHA BUREAU FOR ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR ROGER WINTER
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER
GENEVA FOR USAID KYLOH
ROME PASS FODAG
NSC FOR MELINE
CDR USPACOM FOR J3/J4/POLAD
USEU PASS USEC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AEMR PREL PGOV CE MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS: USAID/DART
SITREP #3

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. According to the Maldives National Disaster Management
Center (NDMC),as of January 18, the earthquake and tsunamis
killed 82 people and 26 residents are missing in Maldives.
The U.S. Military is prioritizing final operations in
Maldives before its final departure. There is currently a
shortage of health professionals in Maldives. The U.N.
World Food Program (WFP) is currently conducting
vulnerability assessments in Maldives and will provide 1,800
metric tons (MT) of rice and 450 MT of tuna to Maldives.
End summary.

--------------
Death Tolls
--------------


2. According to the Maldives NDMC, as of January 23, the
earthquake and tsunamis killed 82 people and 26 residents
are missing in Maldives. As of January 23, 12,698 people
are displaced in the islands.

--------------
Current Situation
--------------


3. On January 25, the USAID/Disaster Assistance Response
Team (DART) attended a briefing in Colombo on the situation
in Maldives. The briefing was provided by the U.N. Resident
Coordinator (UN RC) in Male' who stated that the earthquake
and tsunamis had affected all 190 islands in Maldives and 87
resorts. The earthquake and tsunamis affected approximately
30 percent of the population, and an estimated 7 percent of
the islands were totally destroyed. According to the UN RC,
37 percent of schools, 10 percent of houses, and 20 percent
of tourist resorts need repairs.


4. The UN RC reported that since 90 percent of the islands
have a population of 500 people or less, the cost of

replacing infrastructure is prohibitive. The Government of
the Republic of Maldives (GORM) is considering consolidating
the population on fewer islands.


5. The U.N. Flash Appeal for Maldives was USD 65 million of
which USD 25 million has been committed. The priorities for
assistance are: shelter, livelihoods, health, water and
sanitation, coordination and support services, and
vulnerability and risk analysis. [Note: USAID/Office of
U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has provided USD
1,200,000 to the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) for health,
nutrition, and water and sanitation activities. End Note.]
The UN RC emphasized the link between relief assistance and
reconstruction to introduce new systems, housing designs,
new approaches to social infrastructure (schools, clinics
etc).

--------------
Coordination with the U.S. Military
--------------


6. According to the USAID/DART Field Officer (FO) located
in Maldives, U.S. ships arrived in Laamu Atoll, Maldives on
January 21, are scheduled to complete operations on January
29, and will depart Male on February 2. On January 25, the
USAID/DART FO accompanied Brigadier General Frank Panter to
Maabaidhoo, Mundoo, and Dhabidhoo islands in the Laamu Atoll
to observe water production and distribution activities.
The U.S. Military is in process of prioritizing final
operations before their final departure.

--------------
Health
--------------


7. The USAID/DART FO reported that sectoral reconstruction
planning is underway, and short-term health volunteers will
arrive during the week of January 24. The USAID/DART FO
stated that epidemiological surveillance shows no disease
outbreaks. UNICEF is replacing cold chain equipment and all
vaccines. Since Maldives relies heavily on expatriate
doctors for regional hospitals, there are currently staffing
gaps as many doctors have left their posts since the
tsunami. Due to the shortage of health professionals in

SIPDIS
Maldives, several Thai volunteers will be arriving during
the week of January 24. The U.N. World Health Organization
(WHO) is working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to
resolve this shortage.

--------------
Food
--------------


8. WFP is working with the State Trading Organization and
Ministry of Education (MOE) to distribute high protein
biscuits in schools. WFP is conducting vulnerability
assessments, and the results will be presented during the
week of January 24. WFP will provide 1,800 MT of rice and
450 MT of tuna to Maldives, and the projected arrival of
these goods is March 20.

--------------
Water and Sanitation
--------------


9. UNICEF and the Maldives Water and Sanitation Authority
(MWSA) recently visited Laamu Atoll, tested the water, and
proposed human waste disposal interventions to the MOH.
UNICEF, Oxfam, and German non-governmental organization
(NGO) Technisches Hilfswerk (THW) are donating reverse
osmosis water purification units (ROWPUs),but a final
decision on the placement of these units is still pending.
According to the USAID/DART FO, water storage capacity on
the islands is an issue as production capacity is greater
than storage capacity.

--------------
Education
--------------


10. The USAID/DART FO reported that schools opened on
January 25, and the distribution of textbooks has been
completed. With the beginning of the school year, WFP will
provide high protein biscuits to schools. An AusAid
engineering team is visiting Dhaalu, Thaa, and Meemu atolls
to assess the condition of school buildings.

--------------
Psycho-social Support
--------------


11. The GORM Social Support and Counseling Service (SSCS)
is working with the American Red Cross and Global Relief, a
South African NGO, to train counselors. Global Relief will
also conduct training on how to identify and refer post-
traumatic stress disorder. SSCS is working on a strategy to
supplement its counseling program, as many counselors are
volunteers who now must return to their regular jobs. As of
January 23, 42 counselors have been trained in psycho-social
support, and training of teachers in psycho-social support
is also underway. As of January 23, 104 teachers in 7
atolls have been trained. Save the Children and UNICEF are
working with SSCS on a two-year action plan.


ENTWISTLE