TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2007
Severe Flooding Hits Nicaragua
Tropical Depression Brings Devastating Floods to Nicaragua!
Nicaragua has again been hit with a natural disaster. Ramón Arnesto Soza, head of the National System for the Prevention and Mitigation of Disasters (SINAPRED) said that the tropical depressions of the last two weeks have brought an average of 6.4 inches of rain each day, a total rainfall greater than that of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Yesterday, President Daniel Ortega declared a state of emergency saying that special measures were called for. He ordered all government agencies to put together plans to confront the emergency in the affected areas which, as reported in the Nicaragua Network Hotline on Wednesday, includes almost the entire country.SINAPRED Director Soza said that the Rio Grande de Matagalpa overflowed its banks in the city of Matagalpa when four inches of rain fell in less than an hour. All the neighborhoods near the river were flooded. Over 1,700 people were forced out of their homes in the city. Nelson Artola, former mayor and presently director of the Emergency Social Investment Fund, said that two neighborhoods had practically disappeared with most houses losing even their foundations to the river.
In the entire country SINAPRED estimates 213,000 persones have been affected by the flooding. Soza said that Nicaragua cannot effectively respond to these recurring natural disasters without international assistance and called for help from the community of nations.
If you are able to make another donation (we know we just asked you to donate for the victims of Hurricane Felix) we will send your contributions to the Ernesto Gonzalez Foundation in Matagalpa with which we have been working since the bottom fell out of the coffee market in 2001. They will use the funds to buy urgent supplies for those who have lost their homes. Send a check made out to Nicaragua Network to 1247 "E" Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. Write "Flood Relief" in the memo line. Or click on this link to donate. Then click on "other" and write in "Nicaraguan floods" so that we will know what your donation is for. You can also call us on Monday, October 22 to make a credit card donation over the phone.
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