United States Government Provides $150,000 in Initial Relief Aid for Flood Victims

The United States Government has approved the immediate grant of $150,000 to provide relief aid to regions seriously impacted by natural disasters. This aid includes tents, supplies, equipment and tools to quickly assist all the affected regions. Additionally, the United States is assessing current needs in other areas to facilitate humanitarian aid. Also, the United States continues to provide all possible cooperation in terms of logistical support, such as the aircraft that have been made available for humanitarian aid transportation. So far, the U.S. Government relief effort includes:

• The USG, through the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), will provide an initial amount of $100,000 to help the flood victims in Bolivia.

• The Government of Bolivia has asked for USG assistance in constructing a tent city in Trinidad, as the waters of the Rio Mamore and Rio Ibare continue to rise.  USAID will begin erecting tents this weekend, using supplies pre-positioned in the city, and with the help of its partner organization, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).

• A USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance team from Costa Rica is presently undertaking an assessment of the situation in the Department of Santa Cruz to help the USG identify how it can assist the GOB in these efforts and is beginning to report on the extent of the flooding and communities in need of assistance.  Similarly, they will also assess the situation in the Department of Cochabamba.

• The MILGROUP has provided a 7-person team from SOUTHCOM to assist in disaster relief efforts.

• NAS has provided over-flight support in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz to help assess the situation.

• SOUTHCOM has provided 50k to fund 16 projects requested by the GOB's Civil Defense to include purchasing/providing water, tools, mattresses, clothing, tents, blankets, sandbags and handheld radios in the Departments of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.  SOUTHCOM, through its USMILGRP in La Paz, will continue to coordinate closely with the GOB's Civilian Defense as well as with the Bolivian Security Forces to determine how the US military can assist in responding to the current situation.

The U.S. Government has been continuously cooperating with the Bolivian Government’s Civil Defense office by providing specialized training to disaster management officers, construction of facilities, equipment, and emergency supplies.