Assistance to Floods & Volcano Affected

Balance Requested from ACT Alliance:
US$ 2,442,254

At the beginning of October heavy rains, influenced by tropical storm Stan, lashed the whole Central America region. The rains were the heaviest experienced in the last four years. Tropical storm Stan was a cyclone system that originated in the Pacific then became a hurricane level one affecting El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua.

The worst affected country was Guatemala. The rains caused extensive flooding and mudslides in the highland and southwestern departments of the Pacific coastal area. The areas affected are mostly populated by indigenous people living in extreme poverty. More than 900 landslides were recorded in the area triggered by the severe deforestation.

El Salvador was affected simultaneously by two natural disasters: tropical Storm Stan and the eruption of Ilamatepec volcano located in the west of the country. The heavy rains caused flooding all over the country and 700 landslides were registered.

An ACT appeal to respond to this disaster was issued on 21 October 2005 to include the proposal from ACT El Salvador Forum. The current revision is to include the proposal from ACT Guatemala Forum. For the sake of brevity this revision includes the Guatemala proposal only. To see El Salvador proposal please refer to the original appeal.

ACT Guatemala Forum composed by Christian Aid (CAID), DanChurchAid (DCA), Guatemalan Evangelical Churches Conference (CIEDEG), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Swiss Protestant Churches Aid (HEKS) are proposing to support 7,700 families in the crisis and rehabilitation phase with food, water and sanitation, health services and medicines, clothes, productive infrastructure and food security, safe housing, advocacy and social auditing.

Project Completion Date:

ACT Forum El Salvador - 31 October 2006

ACT Forum Guatemala - 31 December 2006

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested:

Signed by:
Jenny Borden
Interim Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office