Personal impressions of Plan’s relief efforts

Toys distributed at shelter

Plan’s Sameer Sah visited the areas of Masagua and Taxisco, which were most affected by Hurricane Stan, to assess the damage and Plan’s relief efforts. Here's his report: 

During my trip, I visited the Municipalities of Masagua and Taxisco and met with the Mayors of both the Municipalities. The Mayors were very appreciative of Plan being the first agency to reach them and provide them relief, and expressed satisfaction that consultations were conducted at all levels (community and municipality) to co-ordinate relief work.

In the two municipalities of Masagua and Taxisco where Plan works, the majority of the shelters have been closed and we are in the phase of planning the rehabilitation. In general the people are starting to go back home, and the shelters are being closed.

Though the water had receded by the time I visited, houses in the communities had water level marks showing how severe the situation must have been. Water sources are wells within the communities and all of them had been polluted due to the flooding that resulted in surface impurities entering the wells.

Flooding has polluted water sources

As a result, the only means of drinking water was bottled water. Water accumulation in communities has resulted in ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Therefore, there is a great likelihood of malaria and dengue fever outbreaks. Though people have returned to their houses, most of them have lost their livelihood due to flooding of agricultural fields and spoiling of provisions in their shops.

Based on the situation, Plan has identified 3 immediate intermediate relief needs of the communities:

• Safe water
• Food provisions
• Mosquito nets