MANAGUA SITREP 4: WIDE MEDIA COVERAGE AS U.S.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAGUA 002059 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN FEELEY AND LERSTEN DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/FO AND CA/OCS DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID/W, USAID/DCHA AND USAID/OFDA USAID/W FOR A/AID HFORE USAID/OFDA FOR KLUU, AFERRERA, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, AND SBISWAS USAID/DCHA FOR MHESS AND GGOTTLIEB SOUTHCOM PLEASE PASS TO JTF-BRAVO SOUTHCOM FOR SCJ3--LTC ALEXANDER NSC FOR ALVARADO AND TSHORTLEY SAN JOSE FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR GENEVA FOR NKYLOH USUN ROME FOR RNEWBERG USUN FOR TMALY BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER ROME PLEASE PASS TO USUN ROME E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PGOV MOPS AEMR KPAO CASC NU SUBJECT: MANAGUA SITREP 4: WIDE MEDIA COVERAGE AS U.S. DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS COMMENCE REF: A. MANAGUA 2044 ¶B. MANAGUA 2032 ¶C. MANAGUA 2026 (NOTAL) ¶D. MANAGUA 2025 (NOTAL) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Our plan to distribute relief supplies outward from Puerto Cabezas went into effect this morning. We began moving supplies to Sandy Bay and the surrounding area. As of late afternoon, we had also transported 25,000 lbs of supplies from Managua to Puerto Cabezas with JTF-B helicopters. Air assets from the USS Wasp also assisted with medical evacuation of several severely injured Nicaraguans. Total USG disaster relief, not including the value of DOD assets, is in excess of USD 1 million. Distribution operations will continue through the weekend. Media coverage of U.S. relief efforts has been extensive and substantial by local and international outlets. The Ambassador plans to visit Puerto Cabezas on Saturday, assist with relief efforts and meet with Amcits in the affected area. This will be our final SITREP for this week. END SUMMARY. CURRENT SITUATION -------------- ¶2. (U) AFFECTED PERSONS: The Nicaraguan Government's official numbers are as follows: Total Affected Population: 100,000; Confirmed dead: 39; Confirmed Missing: 105; Total Damages Houses: 9,948, of which 7,945 were completely destroyed. ¶3. (SBU) AERIAL OBSERVATIONS: No assessment flights were done today along the north-south road below Waspam down to Santa Maria and Sisin. This is the one remaining area over which we have not done assessment flights. USG PLANNING AND RESPONSE -------------- ¶4. (U) On September 7 in the early morning, the initial distribution of relief supplies commenced in Sandy Bay and surrounding affected communities via USS WASP helicopters. A second relief flight departed Miami for Puerto Cabezas transporting 120 rolls of plastic sheeting, 1,500 wool blankets, and 1,536 hygiene kits. The USAID/OFDA Military Liaison Officer in Nicaragua deployed to Puerto Cabezas to assist in the distribution of relief commodities. A USAID/OFDA consultant will be arriving from Honduras to assist at the Managua airport with the prioritization of relief supplies for loading on U.S. military helicopters to Puerto Cabezas. SINAPRED is coordinating this distribution with USAID and U.S. military officials. The USAID/OFDA field team and the Nicaraguan Red Cross (NRC) staff deployed to Auastara, Dakura, Pahra, and Sandy Bay communities in anticipation of the arrival of relief commodities to coordinate efforts with local authorities, DOD officials, and non-governmental organizations. The distribution was coordinated as follows: --Auastara: 23 rolls of plastic sheeting, 245 hygiene kits, and 232 wool blankets. --Dakura: 23 rolls of plastic sheeting, 245 hygiene kits, and 240 wool blankets. --Pahra: 23 rolls of plastic sheeting, 245 hygiene kits, and 234 wool blankets. --Sandy Bay: 51 rolls of plastic sheeting, 800 hygiene kits, and 800 wool blankets. ¶5. (U) The first relief supply distribution brings the total USG contribution to Nicaragua for Hurricane Felix to over $1,000,000, with USAID/OFDA's share at approximately $275,000 to date. To date, USAID/OFDA is distributing a total of 240 rolls of plastic sheeting, 3,000 wool blankets, and 3,072 hygiene kits. USAID/OFDA is sending an additional 400 rolls of plastic sheeting, tentatively scheduled to arrive on September 8. We are working with country partners to deliver the most critical needs. A $50,000 grant was signed today with NRC. We anticipate an additional $77,800 in grants to be signed later today. USAID is working quickly to identify immediate needs of hurricane-affected populations in conjunction with its partners to assist in the relief efforts. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY OUTREACH -------------- ¶6. (U) The Ambassador spoke with Managua media--TV channels 2, 12 and 63; newspapers La Prensa, El Nuevo Diario and HOY; and Radio Nicaragua, Radio Maranatha, and other independent radio stations. His message included the following points, which were reiterated in our daily press release that went this afternoon. His interview was immediately put in our Embassy News Service (that we provide to 30 radios stations around the country). (Each department has at least two radio stations affiliated with this news service). -- Two U.S. CH-47 helicopters from Soto Cano, Honduras, have assisted in carrying to Puerto Cabezas several Nicaraguan military and police personnel, as well as U.S. officials to make damage assessments and prepare for the receipt and onward distribution of relief supplies. -- The US Government has also sent one C-12 airplane U.S. and Nicaraguan army personnel to assist with mapping the disaster zone, collect images of the area and help develop the emergency response plan. -- The US Southern Command redirected the USS Wasp, which was participating in international military exercises in Panama. The USS Wasp has six helicopters that are being used to provide relief and assistance to the people of Nicaragua. -- This U.S. military support is in addition to the efforts personnel from the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). OFDA is preparing to send from its warehouse in Miami humanitarian assistance to Nicaragua. Using a leased airplane they sent Thursday to Puerto Cabezas the first delivery with plastic sheeting, blankets and hygiene kits. Another airplane will arrive Friday with additional donations. Additionally, the OFDA had delivered $175,000 USD in assistance, and the Nicaraguan Red Cross is now distributing $45,000 of pre donation support that was already positioned in the Caribbean Coast. ¶7. (U) One final note, in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaraguan President Ortega spoke for several minutes to the crew of the CH-47 Chinook that arrived there. The encounter was covered by all the national and international press (print, radio and TV) currently in Puerto Cabezas. There was at least 30 minutes of coverage on Nicaraguan channels 63, 2, 8, 11, 10. Cable News Channel 100 news continued broadcasting the footage throughout the day. LOOKING AHEAD -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Looking forward into the weekend we anticipate distribution operations to continue. USAID/OFDA expects two additional supply flights from the U.S. carrying 400 additional rolls of plastic, as well as blankets. There will be an additional donation of USD 300K towards the UN's USD 1.3 million flash appeal request. Finally we expect that two of our international NGO partners will begin distributing a total of nearly 51 metric tons of food, procured under the PL-480 process, to resident in affected areas of Waspam and its environs. TRIVELLI