NICARAGUA / FLOODS

UN deputy humanitarian chief Catherine Bragg began a four-day visit to Nicaragua and El Salvador yesterday to highlight the impact of recent flooding in Central America. OCHA

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:17
• Production Date: 3 November 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - OCHA
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS; DISASTER PREVENTION; DISASTER PREPAREDNESS; DISASTER RELIEF
• Geographic Subject: NICARAGUA
• MAMS Id: U111103i

Description

STORY: NICARAGUA / FLOODS
TRT: 1:17
SOURCE: OCHA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / SPANISH / NATS

DATELINE: 2-3 NOVEMBER 2011, NICARAGUA

Shotlist

1. Various shots, flooded streets
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Bragg, Assistant-Secretary-General, Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations:
“It is a real disaster. When you have close to 10 percent of your geographic area under water, I would say that is a disaster.”
3. Wide shot, Bragg walking with a group of people
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Bragg, Assistant-Secretary-General, Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations:
“I’ve seen areas where the poorest of the people were affected and had to be evacuated.”
5. Wide shot, temporary shelter on drier land
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Bragg, Assistant-Secretary-General, Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations:
“But they are now moved to much drier land.”
7. Wide shot, floods
8. Med shot, Bragg in flood victim’s house
9. SOUNDUP (English) Catherine Bragg, Assistant-Secretary-General, Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations:
“Have you considered to leaving here because the water now is quite close to the kitchen?”
10. SOUNDUP (Spanish) Flood Victim 1, Nicaragua:
“Actually it’s going down now, it was much higher before.”
11. Med shot flooded home
12. Med shot, flood victim talking to Bragg
13. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Flood Victim 2, Nicaragua:
“It’s been two days since we crossed. I don’t know for how long we’ll be here.”
14. Wide shot, floods

Storyline

United Nations (UN) Deputy humanitarian chief Catherine Bragg began a four-day visit to Nicaragua and El Salvador yesterday (2 Nov) to highlight the impact of recent flooding in Central America.

Bragg, who was in Nicaragua today, called the flooding “a real disaster” given that “close to 10 percent of the geographic area” in the country is under water.

According to the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), heavy rainfall throughout the country had caused flooding and landslides, severely damaging property, vital infrastructure, agricultural crops and the environment.

Over 10,000 houses have been affected. More than 10,000 people are in emergency shelters, and many others have sought refuge in schools, communal centres and churches.

Bragg said she has “seen areas where the poorest of the people were affected and had to be evacuated” to much drier land.

Water sources and latrines have also been affected raising concern about disease outbreak. Access to remote areas is still limited, as many roads are blocked by debris or isolated by flooding and landslides.

Last week, the UN launched a US$14.3 million appeal for victims in Nicaragua and another US$15.7 million for El Salvador.