JAMAICA: GUSTAV OFDA FUNDING CITATION REQUEST

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000762 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE PASS GUSTAV MONITORING GROUP STATE FOR DCHA/OFDA (DMANNING) (RTHAYER) WHA/CAR (ACADIEUX) (VDEPIRRO) WHA/EPSC (MROONEY) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AID AEMR ASEC ECON CASC PINR XL JM SUBJECT: JAMAICA: GUSTAV OFDA FUNDING CITATION REQUEST REF: KINGSTON 761 KINGSTON 760 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: ACTION REQUEST: THIS CABLE REQUESTS IMMEDIATE ADVICE ON A FUNDING CITATIONS FOR USD 100,000 TO BE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA'S OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EFFORTS TO ASSESS AND RESPOND TO DAMAGE SUSTAINED DURING TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV. END SUMMARY ¶2. (U) AT 12:30 HOURS ON AUGUST 28, 2008, TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV MADE LANDFALL IN THE EAST OF JAMAICA. THE STORM FOLLOWED A PATH THAT CARRIED IT ALONG THE SOUTHERN PARISHES OF JAMAICA CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND FLOODING TO VARIOUS COMMUNITIES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND. FOUR PARISHES ST. THOMAS, ST. CATHERINE, PORTLAND AND ST. MARY ARE THE WORST AFFECTED. ELEVEN PEOPLE ARE REPORTED MISSING AND FOUR PEOPLE ARE CONFIRMED DEAD. APPROXIMATELY 4,000 PERSONS HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE STORM, 120 ROADS ARE IMPASSABLE BEING BLOCKED BY DEBRIS OR ARE FLOODED. 65 PERCENT OF THE WATER SUPPLY HAS BEEN AFFECTED AS A RESULT OF TURBIDITY, BLOCKAGE, FLOODING OR LACK OF POWER. STORM WIND DAMAGE AFFECTED ALMOST HALF OF THE ELECTRICAL GRID IN THE COUNTRY. ¶3. (SBU) GOJ EFFORTS: ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA IS HESITANT TO DECLARE A NATIONAL DISASTER, IT IS WILLING TO ACCEPT USG ASSISTANCE. THE GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (ODPEM),HAS MADE AN APPEAL REQUESTING RELIEF SUPPLIES TO ASSIST THE INMEDIATE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF THE AFFECTED POPULATION. ODPEM IS ACTIVELY CARRYING OUT DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS ACROSS THE ISLAND, AND POTENTIAL POST RECOVERY ASSISTANCE IN REBUILDING LOST INFRASTRUCE WILL BE NEEDED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR HAS SUFFERED HEAVY LOSSES AND POST RECOVERY SUPPORT SHOULD CONSIDER ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESSING CROP DAMAGE AND LIVELIHOODS. ¶4. (U) INTERNATIONAL DONOR ASSISTANCE: A UNDP EMERGENCY COORDINATION GROUP HAS MET WITH ODPEM FOR SPECIFIC REQUESTS OF ASSISTANCE. COORDINATIONS ARE BEING MADE AS TO MINIMIZE DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS, MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW. ¶5. (U) MS. AUDREY MULLINGS, THE USAID/OFDA DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST CONSULTANT HAS CONDUCTED AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE OF THE AFFECTED AREA AND WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF DAMAGE AT A LATER TIME. MR. SIDNEY VELADO, OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR HAS ARRIVED TO SUPPORT THE MISSION TO DEVELOP A HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED DURING THE TROPICAL STORM. ¶6. (U) BECAUSE OF THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, THE AMBASSADOR HAS MADE A DETERMINATION THAT THE DISASTER IS OF SUFFICIENT MAGNITUDE TO MERIT A DISASTER DECLARATION AND THAT IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE USG TO RESPOND. IN ACCORDANCE WITH USAID DISASTER GUIDANCE (STATE 205089) AND POST'S DISASTER RELIEF PLAN, AMBASSADOR JOHNSON REQUESTS USD 50,000 AS PER AMBASSADOR'S AUTHORITY AND AN ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION OF USD 50,000 AS PER USAID/OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR'S RECOMMENDATION. THE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO PROVIDE ODPEM WITH AERIAL OVERFLIGHT SUPPORT AND FOR HUMANITARIAN RELIEF SUPPLIES TO BE DISTRIBUTED EITHER THROUGH ODPEM OR NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. ¶7. (U) THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO REPORTS OF U.S. CITIZENS' INJURIES AND DEATHS. ¶8. (U) SEAN OSNER IS THE MISSION DISASTER RELIEF OFFICER. HIS PHONE NUMBER IS 011-383-8905. ¶9. (U) ACTION REQUESTED: PLEASE ADVISE FUNDING CITATION BY IMMEDIATE CABLE. ¶10. (U) FURTHER SITREPS WILL FOLLOW. HEG