Summary of the Operation
On 4 April 2015, a tornado hit the department of Concepción in northern Paraguay. This phenomenon produced hail, strong winds (150-180 kilometres/ hour), electric activity and heavy rains that affected several rural communities in the districts of Loreto and Horqueta (Concepción department). On 9 April, the Paraguayan government declared a state of emergency (Law 5229/2015) for the Concepción department for a nine-month period.
On 28 April 2015, through the IFRC Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, 263,228 Swiss francs were allocated to support the Paraguayan Red Cross (PRC) to deliver assistance and support to some 6,000 people (1,200 families), with a focus on hygiene promotion, psychosocial support and livelihoods. This operation was extended one month to end on 28 August 2015.
The Canadian government through the Canadian Red Cross Society contributed CHF 22,000 to the replenishment of the allocation made for this DREF operation. The major donors and partners of DREF include: the Australian, American and Belgian governments, the Austrian Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross and government, Danish Red Cross and government, DG ECHO, the Irish and the Italian governments, the Japanese Red Cross Society, the Luxembourg government, the Monaco Red Cross and government, the Netherlands Red Cross and government, the Norwegian Red Cross and government, the Spanish Government, the Swedish Red Cross and government, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), the Medtronic and Z Zurich Foundations, and other corporate and private donors. IFRC, on behalf of the Paraguayan Red Cross, would like to extend its appreciation to all partners for their continued support.
Description of the disaster
On 4 April 2015, a tornado that produced hail, strong winds (150-180 kilometres/ hour), electric activity and heavy rains in hit several rural communities in the districts of Loreto and Horqueta located in Paraguay’s Concepcion department. In the two districts, approximately 2,000 families were affected, of which 80 per cent lost their household goods, furniture, clothing, documents, food and farm equipment. The strong winds blew off corrugated roofs, whisked away belongings and caused hail damage to the area’s agricultural products and loss of livestock. More than 150 houses were completely destroyed; two people died due to the collapse of their houses; and 25 people suffered injuries. With the collapse of 100 concrete electric towers, the population was left without electricity following the tornado. Due to the water processing plant requiring electricity, water services were also extremely limited in the early days of the emergency. On 9 April, the government of Paraguay issued a state of emergency for the Concepcion department for a nine-month period.