Floods in Tabasco

Appeal Target: US$ 589,114

Between October 28 and November 5, 2007 torrential rains, more than 1,200 millimeters of water in a three-day period, poured down on Tabasco and Chiapas, Mexico. A high tide in the Gulf of Mexico prevented the rising waters of the principal rivers from emptying into the sea. 25,900 square kilometers, 80% of the plain of the state of Tabasco, were inundated, including 700 towns and most of the capital city, Villahermosa.

The damages are huge. According to official resources, the floods affected 1,214,000 people in 829 communities and more than 200 deaths were reported. In the state of Tabasco, 815 shelters provided refuge to more than 110,000 persons. Public infrastructure was largely devastated, among which 40% of the schools buildings and 21% of the clinics and health posts. 93 bridges and 60% of the roads were damaged. 200,000 housing units were affected, many of which destroyed. Economic loss is estimated at 5 Billion US$ in the commercial and agricultural sector. An estimated 160,000 hectares of crops were lost, out of 240,000 cultivated hectares. 90% of maize and papaya, 85% of sorghum and 80% of rice were destroyed. A large number of cattle and livestock were lost.

The State of Tabasco and the Central State of Mexico mobilized police and military to ensure public security and to assist the affected population. About 40,000 families are now relocated to habitable territory. Health services have been monitoring outbreaks of cholera, dengue and hepatitis.

The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico (INPM) through its Emergency Operations Committee (EOC/INPM) has assisted the population in Tabasco with the management of 24 shelters, housing an average of 54,000 evacuees. The INPM also organized a team of 60 people, pastors and professionals to distribute 85 tons of food, 40,000 liters of water, 10 tons of clothing, 5,000 mattress pads and 5,000 blankets. Parts of the goods were provided by the ACT member Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA).

ACT member PDA together with a support team sent by ACT members in Central America (Swiss Protestant Churches HEKS, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance PDA-PC(USA), the Salvadoran Lutheran Synod (SLS) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) of El Salvador) assisted the EOC/INPM in the damages and needs assessment.

PDA together with its implementing partner EOC/ INPM is proposing to

PDA will recruit a an experienced coordinator for the implementation of the appeal. With the assistance of ACT members in Central America, he will work in strengthening the capacity of EOC/ INPM in risk management, rehabilitation related to food security, agriculture and small animal husbandry, sanitation, housing, community based psycho-social activities. PDA will be in charge of implementation and reporting in line with ACT requirements.

Project Completion Date: 31 December 2008

Reporting schedule:

Interim narrative & financial: 31 July 2008

Final narrative & financial: 28 February 2009

Audit: 31 March 2009

Signed by:

John Nduna
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office