MANAGUA SITREP 7: U.S. RELIEF TOPS USD 1.4 MILLION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAGUA 002117 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 SOUTHCOM FOR W. LEWIS AMSELEM 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 7: U.S. RELIEF TOPS USD 1.4 MILLION REF: A. MANAGUA 2102 ¶B. MANAGUA 2070 ¶C. MANAGUA 2059 ¶D. MANAGUA 2044 ¶E. MANAGUA 2032 ¶F. MANAGUA 2026 (NOTAL) ¶G. MANAGUA 2025 (NOTAL) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On September 13, U.S. SH-60 helicopters carried out 13 relief flights and delivered nearly 26,000 pounds of relief materials as well as medical and security personal. The morning of September 14, two JTF-B CH-47 Chinook helicopters will arrive in Managua and begin operations. The first C-130 Bladder Bird refueling flight to Puerto Cabezas will commence on September 14. While SINAPRED still has not developed a comprehensive relief delivery plan, it estimated that an additional four days of U.S. military air support may be needed. The Embassy Hurricane Working Group believes U.S. military assets could be effectively deployed for an additional four working days with a possible extension of two days. USAID released an additional USD 241,000 to key NGO partners to fund the purchase and distribution of additional relief supplies. A key Ministry of Defense (MOD) contact was fired for saying on the record that U.S. was the first to respond to the MOD's request for assistance. END SUMMARY. CURRENT SITUATION - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (U) AFFECTED PERSONS: As of September 12, the GON was reporting the following data regarding the human impact of Hurricane Felix. Affected persons: 162,373 in the municipalities of Puerto Cabezas, Waspam, Rosita, Bonanza, and Alamikamba in the RAAN and in the departments of Nueva Segovia and Jinotega; 136 people have been rescued. CASUALTIES: 73 confirmed dead of which 71 were registered in the communities of Puerto Cabezas and 2 in Asan; 76 deaths remain unconfirmed; and 110 persons are missing. PROPERTY DAMAGE: The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) reported that 42 health centers were damaged and four destroyed in the RAAN. ¶3. (SBU) SINAPRED PLANS DAY-BY-DAY: OFDA/Milgroup team in Puerto Cabezas reports that SINAPRED still has not developed a comprehensive relief delivery plan. Instead, it produces a new 24-hour plan each evening after discussions with disaster relief officials and OFDA/Milgroup. As a result, U.S. military planners have been unable to determine the exact deployment requirements of military assets in country. As of 2100 hours on September 12, SINAPRED estimated that an additional four days of U.S. military air support may be needed. (NOTE: In the September 13 Hurricane Working Group meeting, AMB/OFDA/Milgroup/DAO concurred that U.S. military assets could effectively be deployed in relief efforts an additional four working days with a possible further extension of two days based on SINAPRED calculations. Assets will continue to be used to deliver food, medicine, and other emergency relief supplies to remote areas. END NOTE). ¶4. (U) IN-COUNTRY US MILITARY ASSETS: As of September 13, there were four helicopters in Nicaragua - two SH-60s from the Samuel Roberts running sorties in Puerto Cabezas and two UH-60s from JTF-B in Managua. Depending on weather, the JTF-B helos are scheduled to fly to Puerto Cabezas on September 14 to replace the Samuel Robert's departing helos. In addition, two JTF-B CH-47s are scheduled to arrive in Managua the morning of September 14 to support the Managua-Puerto Cabezas air bridge or distribution efforts from Puerto Cabezas, depending where the need is greatest. The C-130 Bladder Bird will commence fueling operations on September 14 to the FARP stationed in Puerto Cabezas and conduct daily refueling runs. The FARP will enable greater flexibility in the use of the CH-47s, allowing them to be deployed from Puerto Cabezas, if needed. ¶5. (U) ARMY CONDUCTING INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT: Nicaraguan Army Special Forces are conducting a thorough assessment of the area between Waspam and San Carlos, looking for remote communities that have not yet received emergency aid. Given the difficulty of the terrain and area's remoteness, the army must conduct the assessment by boat and on foot. It expects to have a full assessment completed by September 17, at the latest, but is providing on-going input to SINAPRED as communication networks allow. In response to rumors of previously unknown villages not included in SINAPRED's maps, army officials claim to know all the village locations, but have not been able to reach them as they must travel by foot. (NOTE: SOUTHCOM's Humanitarian Assistance Support (HAST) team assessment concurred that subsequent U.S. relief efforts should focus on the northern border region, from San Carlos to the west. END NOTE). ¶6. (U) USAID/OFDA COORDINATE WITH NGO PARTNERS: On September 12 and 13, USAID/OFDA officials met with key partners including the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA),Catholic Relief Services (CRS),and PAHO to discuss on-going and future relief efforts. ADRA has requested additional air support to deliver supplies while CRS is increasingly relying on ground transport as roads become passable and ground transport becomes available. In addition, on September 13 USAID authorized an additional traunch of USD 241,000 to NGO partners for the purchase and distribution of emergency supplies. USG PLANNING AND RESPONSE - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶7. (U) As of September 13, a total of USD 1.42 million in OFDA resources have been expended in the Hurricane Felix relief effort in Nicaragua. On September 13, the Samuel Robert's two SH-60 helicopters carried out 13 relief flights coordinated as follows: -- Dakura: Ten flights delivered 41 sacks of split peas, 112 sacks of cereal, 91 sacks of rice and salt and cans of oil totaling 20,720 pounds. In addition, four doctors and two police officers were transported. -- Lapan: Eight rolls of plastic sheeting (1,200 pounds). -- Isnawas: Two flights delivered 4,000 pounds of emergency good commodities including rice, salt, and water. PD OUTREACH: AMBASSADOR CONTINUES OUTREACH EFFORTS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. (U) Ambassador Trivelli conducted a 24-minute live interview with Radio Manantial, emphasizing general U.S. assistance to Nicaragua and highlighting the USD 1.4 million in relief provided in the wake of Hurricane Felix. Radio Manantial is the largest and most important radio station in the Southern Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS). In addition, the public affairs section issued its fifth press release since the start of U.S. relief effort 1.5 weeks ago. ¶9. (SBU) One of the Embassy's few remaining contacts at the Ministry of Defense was fired on September 12, reportedly after being cited in a news article as saying "the U.S. was the first country to respond to the request by the Ministry of Defense to send assistance." The article, published in the daily newspaper El Nuevo Diario, was entitled "U.S. Quickest to Offer Hurricane Help." LOOK AHEAD - JFT-B OPERATIONS CONTINUE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶10. (U) The Samuel Roberts will cease relief operations and leave Puerto Cabezas on September 14 to be replaced by two JTF-B UH-60 helicopters. Two JTF-B CH-47 Chinook helicopters will arrive the morning of September 14 and commence operations and daily FARP refueling runs will begin, using the C-130 Bladder Bird. TRIVELLI