DISASTER DECLARATION: THAILAND

UNCLAS BANGKOK 006228 SIPDIS SIPDIS AIDAC BANGKOK FOR CONTROLLER STATE FOR EAP, USAID/DCHA/OFDA FOR RTHAYER AND BDEEMER, ANE/ESA FOR CJENNINGS KATMANDU FOR USAID/OFDA BERGER GENEVA FOR USAID NKYLOH NSC FOR CREWES CDR USPACOM FOR J3/J4/J32/POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID TH SUBJECT: DISASTER DECLARATION: THAILAND ¶1. THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. PLEASE SEE PARAGRAPH 6. ¶2. SUMMARY - EXTENSIVE MONSOON RAINS OVER THE PAST MONTH AND, MORE RECENTLY, TYPHOON XANGSHANE, HAVE LED TO SEVERE FLOODING IN 19 CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PROVINCES OF THAILAND. ACCORDING TO MEDIA REPORTS, THE FLOODS HAVE RESULTED IN 39 DEATHS, IMPACTED MORE THAN TWO MILLION RESIDENTS, FORCED EVACUATIONS OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLDS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE TOTALING MORE THAN USD 6.4 MILLION. ADDITIONALLY, SOME 130,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY SKIN AND RESPIRATORY AILMENTS SAID TO BE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FLOODS. THE PROVINCES OF AYUTTHAYA AND ANG THONG HAVE BEEN HARDEST HIT, WITH SOME VILLAGES IN ANG THONG REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN UNDER MORE THAN THREE METERS OF WATER. GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EMERGENCY AND CONTINUED HUMANITARIAN NEEDS, THE AMBASSADOR DECLARES THAT A STATE OF DISASTER HAS RESULTED AND REQUESTS THE RELEASE OF USD 50,000 UNDER THE AMBASSADOR'S DISASTER ASSISTANCE AUTHORITY. FUNDS WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THAI RED CROSS EMERGENCY RELIEF EFFORTS IN THE AFFECTED PROVINCES. END SUMMARY. ¶3. BACKGROUND: THE DEATH TOLL FROM SEVERE FLOODING IN 19 CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PROVINCES OF THAILAND ROSE TO 39 AS OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER PREVENTION AND MITIGATION. THE FLOODS HAVE AFFECTED MORE THAN TWO MILLON PEOPLE, FORCED EVACUATIONS OF RESIDENTS TO TEMPORARY SHELTERS, AND RESULTED IN INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE AND ADVERSE IMPACTS ON LOCAL LIVELIHOODS. IN RESPONSE TO THE FLOODS, THE ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT (RTG),PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS AND THE THAI RED CROSS ARE PROVIDING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. THE THAI RED CROSS HAS RECENTLY DEPLOYED ASSESSMENT TEAMS TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF DAMAGES AND NEED, AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES AND EVACUATION SERVICES TO AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. RELIEF SUPPLIES INCLUDE FAMILY PARCELS, DRINKING WATER, HOUSEHOLD MEDICAL KITS, MEDICINES, AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF FLAT BOTTOM BOATS FOR EVACUATIONS. ¶4. SITUATION IN FLOOD-AFFECTED AREAS: OF THAILAND'S 12 MAJOR RESERVOIRS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, NINE ARE CURRENTLY AT 90 PERCENT CAPACITY OR GREATER, WITH TWO AT OR ABOVE MAXIMUM CAPACITY. THE LOCAL WEATHER FORECAST IS CALLING FOR CONTINUED THUNDERSHOWERS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT TWO DAYS, WITH ISOLATED HEAVY RAINS CONTINUING IN ALL REGIONS. AS HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT FURTHER RISK OF FLOODING WILL ONLY WORSEN. ACCESS TO FLOOD-AFFECTED DISTRICTS CONTINUES TO BE HAMPERED BY DAMAGE TO LOCAL INFRASTURCURE. THE RED CROSS IS CURRENTLY USING UP TO TEN FLAT BOTTOM BOATS TO ASSIST IN EVACUATION EFFORTS IN FLOOD-AFFECTED DISTRICTS. THE LATEST ASSESSMENT BY THE RED CROSS INDICATES CONTINUED NEED FOR FAMILY RELIEF PACKAGES, POTABLE WATER AND HYGIENE SUPPLIES. USAID/OFDA FUNDING WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THE THAI RED CROSS EMERGENCY RESPONSE EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE PROCUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF NEEDED EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES. ¶5. BASED ON THE SITUATION, I DECLARE A DISASTER OF SIGNIFICANT MAGNITUDE HAS OCCURRED IN THE FLOOD-AFFECTED PROVINCES OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN THAILAND TO WARRANT USG ASSISTANCE, THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THIS SUPPORT TO THE THAI RED CROSS WILL BE APPRECIATED AND WELCOMED BY THE RTG DURING THIS EMERGENCY PERIOD. ¶6. POST REQUESTS USD 50,000 UNDER THE AMBASSADOR'S AUTHORITY. THIS FUNDING WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE THAI RED CROSS TO SUPPORT THOSE MOST SEVERELY AFFECTED BY THE FLOODS. FUNDS WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT RED CROSS EMERGENCY EVACUATION ACTIVITIES AND FOR THE PROCUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES, SUCH AS DRINKING WATER, HYGIENE KITS, AND BASIC HOUSEHOLD GOODS. BOYCE