Central America
From HFA-PEDIA
Contents |
What's New
- Central American Policy on Integrated Risk Management (PCIGR) presented for approval to the XXXV Summit of Heads of State and Governments of member countries of the Central-American Integration System (SICA) held in Panama City, Panama from 29-30 June.
Among other issues being discussed, the Central American Policy on Integrated Risk Management (PCIGR) is being presented for approval. This policy responds to the need to update the regional commitments towards disaster risk reduction, with a vision of integral development and the objective of providing the Central American region a guiding framework surrounding integrated disaster risk management, thereby strengthening the links between political decision-making and corresponding mechanisms and instruments for application and unifying risk management with economic management, social cohesion and environmental management.
On Tuesday, 29 June, CEPREDENAC presented this instrument to the Presidents of SICA’s member States, for approval in the Declaration of the XXXV Summit of Heads of State and Governments of member countries of the Central-American Integration System (SICA) on June 30.
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), 31 May 2010
The heavy rain accompanying Tropical storm Agatha has resulted in severe flooding in Central America causing rivers to break their banks, mudslides and infrastructure to collapse. So far, the local authorities have confirmed at least 82 deaths in Guatemala, 13 in El Salvador and 2 in Honduras as a result of the tropical storm, which was downgraded to a tropical depression after making landfall.
“The speed at which the storm formed and touched land complicated the situation considerably. Fortunately, thanks to the disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness programmes and initiatives that have been carried out in the region after Hurricane Mitch, we hope that the damage caused by Agatha is not as bad as it could have been otherwise,”says Felipe del Cid, disaster management delegate with the International Federation’s Pan-American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU).
“Now we have to pay special attention to the impact that Agatha has had on the risk reduction mechanisms in the communities, such as the dykes, retention walls and drains. We have to be sure that this first storm does not reduce the community’s capacity to withstand the rest of the hurricane season,” warns del Cid.
Guatemala
In Guatemala, the floods and mudslides triggered by the heavy rain have had a particular impact on the departments of Escuintla, Suchitepéquez, Retalhuleu, San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Totonicapán, Sololá, Chimaltenango and Guatemala. So far, the authorities have reported 82 deaths, 58 people missing and over 81,700 people affected.
The Guatemalan Red Cross is maintaining activities in its emergency operations centre and is closely monitoring the situation. It is also coordinating response activities with its various branches and working with the national coordinator for disaster reduction – or CONRED, as it is known in Spanish.
Guatemalan Red Cross volunteers continue to carry out search and rescue activities, damage and needs assessments, and manage the communal centres that are being used as temporary shelter for those affected.
Seven Guatemalan Red Cross national intervention teams have been deployed to the affected areas to carry out rapid assessments in three communal centres, which are serving as shelters for more than 1,200 people. Additionally, with the support of the First Lady’s Secretary for Social Work (Secretaría de Obras Sociales de La Esposa del Presidente, or SOSEP, in Spanish), the team will install tanks of potable water in the shelters with a total capacity of some 9,400 litres. They will also carry out hygiene promotion activities.
El Salvador
According to reports from the authorities, Tropical storm Agatha has caused the deaths of 13 people, and has resulted in the evacuation of more than 8,000 others. Some 139 mudslides have brought down electricity poles and other small structures across the country.
The Salvadorean Red Cross national director for risk and disaster management is closely following the disaster and, through its emergency operations centre, is coordinating more than 500 volunteers in 41 branches, who remain on alert.
Salvadorean Red Cross staff and volunteers were immediately deployed to the worst affected areas where they remain active. Various search and rescue groups, including aerial response units, have also been mobilized to assist in the search for missing people. At the same time, Salvadorean Red Cross teams continue to assess houses and infrastructure for damage.
Honduras
In Honduras, where Tropical storm Agatha has also led to a national emergency being declared, the Honduran Red Cross is coordinating with national emergency organizations and is mobilizing its volunteers to assist with aid efforts. At least two deaths have been reported.
- Mitch + 10
- Guatemala City, Guatemala; 21 - 23 July, 2009
Among the results of this regional forum, participants highlighted the need for integral risk management to be regarded as an intrinsic part of planning and public investment processes.
See also: Mitch + 10 Declaration (Spanish only)
Introduction
Central America, with an area of approximately 592,000 kilometres squared, is a narrow isthmus extending from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico southeastward to the Isthmus of Panama where it connects to the Colombian Pacific Lowlands in northwestern South America. Alternatively, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt delimits the region on the north. The Pacific Ocean lies to the southwest, the Caribbean Sea lies to the northeast, and the Gulf of Mexico lies to the north.
Most of Central America rests atop the Caribbean Plate. The region is geologically active, with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring from time to time.
The countries that makeup the Central American region are: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
In 1991 Central America obtained integration through the creation of the Central American Integration System - SICA (Sistema para la Integración Centroamericana). The SICA provided a clear legal base to avoid discrepancies between the member states. SICA membership includes the 7 countries of Central America as well as the Dominican Republic (in the Caribbean).
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Disaster reduction and risk management in Central America
The main agency for disaster risk reduction in Central America, one of the ISDR partners in action, is CEPREDENAC.
Established in 1988, the Coordinating Centre for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America, CEPREDENAC (http://www.cepredenac.org) is the specialized institution of the Central American Integration System (SICA) for natural disaster prevention, mitigation and response. The Governments of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama are active members, while Belize and Dominican Republic are in the process of becoming members. CEPREDENAC's inter-sectoral agenda is harmonized with other specialized regional entities in such areas as hydrological resources, agriculture, nutrition and food security.
Strategic Framework for Education on Disaster Risk Reduction
Ministers and education authorities of Central America and the Dominican Republic adopted the Strategic Framework for Education on Disaster Risk Reduction.
Within the ordinary session of the Central American Educational and Cultural Coordination Organisation (CECC), Ministers and education authorities of Central America and the Dominican Republic (members of SICA), held on May 9th 2008 in Panama, approved the Strategic Framework for Education on Disaster Risk Reduction. This innovative Framework serves to strengthen the commitment of Ministries of Education dependencies to define more appropriate policies and actions on Disaster Risk Reduction.
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European Union cooperation in Central America
The European Union Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO)’s programme for investing in disaster preparedness – DIPECHO - is a programme aimed at improving the capacities of communities at risk to better prepare and protect themselves from disasters.
The Regional Programme for Reducing Environmental Vulnerability and Degradation (PREVDA) aims at consolidating regional institutional and policy integration for risk management - in particular, the Regional Disaster Reduction Plan (PRRD), the Central American Action Plan for the Integrated Management of Water Resources (PACADIRH) and the Central American Regional Environmental Plan (PARCA).
PREVDA brings together three areas of work through three respective secretariats of the Central American Integration System (SICA):
- . Environmental management through the Central American Commission on Environment & Development (CCAD);
- ii. The integrated management of water resources with the Regional Committee on Hydraulic Resources (CRRH); and
- iii. Risk management through CEPREDENAC
Also important is the EU – Central American Strategy for Cooperation as agreed upon with the Central American Integration System (SICA) for 2002-2006, its evaluation and the 2007-2012 proposal. The main areas of work for the 2002 – 2006 period were: 1) good governance (strengthening regional and national institutions), 2) democratic participation (facilitating the participation of civil society through public consultations and contributions to specific activities) and, 3) environmental security which encompasses the proposals and actions aimed at risk management and disaster risk reduction specifically.
Other
Integrated Multi-Risk Management System and Early Warning for Urban Areas of Central America
A project of the Italo-Latino Americano Institute surrounding a prototype of a Mulit-Risk Early Warning System.
