VZCZCXRO7481
OO RUEHGR
DE RUEHBE #0526/01 2342119
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 222119Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0758
INFO RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUMIAGH/COMJTF-B SIMS SOTO CANO HO
RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELMOPAN 000526 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR EAID MARR PREL AMGT BH
SUBJECT:  TFJM01:  BELIZE PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND 
ASSISTANCE REQUEST 
 
 
PASS OFDA 
 
REF:  BELMOPAN 0524 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  The GOB is requesting international assistance to deal 
with the aftermath of Hurricane Dean.  Prime Minister Musa declared 
two northern districts disaster areas.  Urgent needs include 
equipment to test the safety of water supplies, bulk food to 
replenish stockpiles used in the emergency, road repair equipment 
and materials to rebuild houses damaged or destroyed by the storm. 
Damage to agriculture, including the export-oriented papaya and 
sugar industries, is significant and will require assistance both to 
replant and to provide income support to small farmers until the 
next crop can be harvested.  Although the overall numbers may seem 
small, for a country the size of Belize they represent a significant 
hit to the economy.  Based on the needs assessment we will request 
separately release of $50,000 in disaster assistance funds.  The 
Foreign Minister expressed appreciation for the OFDA presence as 
part of the national response and also thanked us for the prompt 
offer of helicopter support from JTF-Bravo.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  The Foreign Ministry provided August 22 a briefing for heads of 
diplomatic missions on damage from Hurricane Dean as well as a list 
of assistance requests.  The Minister and CEO (deputy minister 
equivalent) stressed that the assessment and lists were preliminary 
and that more details would be provided in the next 24 hours. 
 
DAMAGE 
------ 
 
¶3.  Overall Dean did much less damage than expected and there have 
been so far no reports of loss of life or serious injury.  Major 
infrastructure including highways and bridges is intact and roads 
are generally passable.  However, power is still out in the north, 
bringing problems such as lack of water and breakdowns in telephone 
service.  (FYI:  Belize buys electricity for the north from Mexico 
and there is no word on when the flow from Mexico will be resumed. 
END FYI.)  The storm did significant damage to housing and 
agriculture in the two northern districts, Orange Walk and Corozal. 
Damage to the northern barrier reef islands (cayes) is still being 
assessed but the tourism industry clearly has also suffered some 
losses. 
 
¶4.  PM Musa has declared Corozal and Orange Walk districts disaster 
areas.The preliminary GOB assessment of damage to various sectors in 
the north (all figures quoted in US$) is: 
 
-- Housing $5 million.  Hundreds of homes were destroyed, 1,500 - 
2,000 were damaged and there are estimates of 2,000 homeless in the 
northern districts.  Most are staying with family and friends or in 
government shelters. 
 
--  Papaya industry: $20 - 22 million.  The entire export crop 
appears to have been destroyed.  (FYI: One of the major investors in 
the industry is U.S.-based Brooks Tropicals.  End FYI.) 
 
--  Sugar industry:  $1.2 million, but this will likely change as 
ground assessments provide more details than aerial assessments. 
Sugar exports are a $50 million industry employing 9,000 farmers and 
2,000 workers, roughly one-seventh of the population of the two 
northern districts.  Loss of farm income will be significant, and 
loss of export earnings could hurt the GOB's ability to service its 
external debt. 
 
--  Aquaculture industry:  no firm figure yet but likely $1 million 
or more. 
 
¶5.  Rains associated with Dean will have an impact in coming days on 
river levels and the GOB anticipates significant flooding in the 
north.  This could hamper rebuilding efforts and movement of 
supplies.  It could also further damage agricultural land and 
crops. 
 
ASSISTANCE REQUEST 
------------------ 
 
¶6.  Urgent needs identified by the MFA are: 
 
--  Equipment to test safety of drinking water; 
 
--  Bulk food (rice, beans flour, milk powder, cooking oil and 
canned food) to replace that taken from stockpiles so far (NOTE: 
The GOB requested cash to buy this locally rather than ship it.  END 
NOTE.) 
 
--  Agricultural and road equipment to repair roads in the papaya 
and sugar cane fields, including three to five each: graders, 
bulldozers, front end loaders and dump trucks. 
 
 
BELMOPAN 00000526  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  Longer term the GOB notes that it may need more food to tide 
farmers over for several month from the loss of income from their 
crops.  Alternatively there may be need for small grants to provide 
cash to see families through until the next crops are in. 
 
¶8.  The Foreign Minister told Charge that the GOB appreciated the 
USG's quick response in sending an OFDA rep to work with the 
National Emergency Management Organization in advance of the 
hurricane and providing three helicopters and associated military 
personnel from JTF-Bravo. 
 
USG ACTION 
----------- 
 
¶9.  OFDA rep Armbrister attended a donors' meeting with UN agencies 
and the Red Cross a few hours after the MFA briefing.  Based on the 
needs assessments done to date we will request by septel authority 
to release $50,000 of emergency funds.  An additional urgent need 
noted was a portable generator that could be transported to villages 
to run water pumps and fill reservoirs.  These cannot be obtained in 
Belize and will have to be brought in from outside.  OFDA is 
coordinating with other donors to minimize gaps and overlaps in 
assistance.  Embassy has been coordinating with the British High 
Commission since the hurricane to ensure that our capabilities and 
efforts are in sync. 
 
LOOKING AHEAD 
------------- 
 
¶10.  The MFA briefing as well as the NEMO head note that there are 
still more than three months left in the 2007 hurricane season.  The 
Western Caribbean traditionally gets hit later than this, so Dean 
may not be the last hurricane Belize will have to deal with this 
year.  Replenishment of emergency stockpiles will be an important 
job in the near term. 
 
HILL