OCHA Situation Report No. 10
Hurricane Ivan
The Caribbean - Grenada, Jamaica and Cuba
18 September 2004


Situation in Grenada

1. Today, the Prime Minister has declared a state of emergency.

2. The overall priority is to ensure a proper distribution of relief 
supplies to the affected population in Grenada.

3. It is reported that 50 to 70 % of police stations have been damaged, 
which is a major handicap in terms of ensuring security in times of 
crisis.

4. Emergency construction projects as well as reconstruction plans 
(medium/long term) including hurricane-proof construction techniques are 
required. Emergency housing projects will also generate employment. 
Construction materials and technical advice are also needed. Most of the 
houses destroyed or damaged were not insured. This constitutes an 
additional burden on those that suffered losses.

5. The number of temporary shelters needed, however, is difficult to 
determine, as many of the people who sought shelter are now returning to 
their homes to repair or maintain them. According to the latest figures, 
some 274 shelters have been established (including ad hoc ones, where 
families spontaneously get together). Many are in schools and public 
places, which were also affected. It should be noted that churches, which 
traditionally receive people in distress, have also been seriously 
affected.


National and International Response

6. The Government was also affected with its facilities seriously damaged. 
All government buildings are without power, which hopefully will improve 
this weekend. Authorities are slowly trying to get control of the 
situation by establishing a response structure headed by the Prime 
Minister with Minister of Tourism in charge of the overall relief 
activities, and the Minister of Finance is responsible for rehabilitation 
/ reconstruction issues.

7. According to government sources, in spite of visible constraints, 
national authorities have already spent approximately USD 4 million in the 
response to this emergency.

8. A multi-disciplinary mission to Grenada headed by the OECS, including 
the Caribbean Development Bank, ECLAC and the World Bank, is scheduled. 
This mission will focus on reconstruction with the sectors of housing, 
health, education, utilities, roads and bridges, agriculture, tourism and 
waste disposal. This mission is scheduled to present a report by 24 
September. The World Bank is scheduling a pledging conference at the first 
week of October.

Activities by UN agencies and Red Cross Movement by sector

- Health and Education

9. PAHO/WHO has been assisting the Ministry of Health in the area of 
health and epidemiological survey. Cases of diarrhea have been reported 
and there is a concern that this might get worse if water supply and 
sanitation facilities did not improve. Latrines are urgently needed.

10.  A SUMA team is assisting in the registry of relief supplies. PAHO has 
provided: 10 generators for health facilities, vector control equipment 
and insecticides; drugs and basic medical equipment (two kits per 10,000 
people); technical support in epidemiological surveillance; laboratory 
equipment and experts for St. Georges' hospital.

11. UNICEF is providing psycho-sociological support of children (6-13 
years old). A pilot project is presently underway to cover 600 children in 
St. David parish, through counseling, provision of schools boxes and 
training of volunteers. A workshop is about to take place to train 37 
volunteers to expand this project to the entire country. There is a need 
for psychologists.

12. UNICEF is also assisting the St. David's local authorities in starting 
the school year, which reveals to be a major task taking into account 
structural damage in most of the schools and to school materials. It is 
unlikely that authorities manage to open schools by next week as planned. 
The situation is similar in the other parishes.

- Agriculture

13. A representative of FAO arrived today to assess the situation in the 
agricultural sector.

- Food Security

14. A WFP official from the Regional Office in Panama also arrived to 
evaluate food security.

- Relief Supplies

15. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies 
(IFRC) has been active in the distribution of emergency food packages in 
the different parishes and have made available for storage: 10,000 family 
food kits, 20,000 plastic sheeting rolls, 60,000 water purification 
tablets and 25,000 zinc sheets.

16. The IFRC has also provided through CDERA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency 
Response Agency) and the UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assessment and 
Coordination) team two rubhalls for storage to be set up in strategic 
distribution areas as well as through Oxfam 2,000 jerry cans for shelters.

- Coordination and Information Management

17. The UNDAC team established a second on-site operations coordination 
center for UN agencies (UNICEF, PAHO/WHO, UNDP, WFP, FAO), donors 
(including USAID/OFDA), IFRC and NGOs. The team, together with UNDP and 
CDERA, has carried out a series of coordination meetings with the 
Government in order to discuss priority areas in relief assistance 
included in an appeal as well delineate recovery and reconstruction 
strategies.

18. The UNDAC team is also assisting in public information in close 
cooperation with CDERA and UNDP to keep the population informed about the 
situation as well as the distribution of relief supplies. A first one-page 
bulletin has been issued on 17 September with a simple questionnaire on 
the situation of shelters and the level and type of assistance received.


Situation in Jamaica

19. An update will follow.


Situation in Cuba

20. An update will follow.


21. OCHA is in close contact with the United Nations Resident 
Coordinator's offices in Barbados, Jamaica, and Cuba and will revert with 
further information as it becomes available.

22. For further information, please refer to the Website of the National 
Hurricane Service in Miami at www.nhc.noaa.gov, and 
www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/Tropical/Gif/atl.latest.gif.

23. This situation report, together with further information on other 
ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at 
http://www.reliefweb.int.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
   Mr. Erik Haegglund
   E-mail: haegglund@un.org
   Direct Tel. +41-22-917 3299

   Ms. Masayo Kondo
   E-mail: kondo@un.org
   Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1977

Press contact:
   GVA - Ms. Madeleine Moulin-Acevedo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 3160
   NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917-367 51 26

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