Highlights
On 18 May, two aftershocks shook the country with epicenters between the cantons of Quinindé and Muisne in the Province of Esmeraldas, and Pedernales in the Province of Manabí. The first aftershock occurred at 2:57am and another one at 11:36am with a magnitude of 6.7 and 6.8, respectively. The aftershocks resulted in additional damages in Esmeraldas Province. In response, the Government opened new camps in the affected areas.
According to Secretary of Risk Management (Secretaría de Gestión de Riesgos o SGR), 58 houses were affected by the aftershocks in the following cantons: 14 in Esmeraldas, 14 in Muisne, 10 in Quinindé, 4 in Portoviejo, 5 in Ibarra and 11 in other cantons (SGR Situation Report No.70,19/05/2016 (17:00)).
Following the aftershocks, displaced persons located in damaged shelters were relocated to Camp 1 and Camp 2 in Muisne, which as of 25 May hosts around 640 people. An additional 1,080 people are residing in a camp in Chamanga. In Pedernales, around 750 displaced persons were relocated to the Divino Niño camp. Authorities acted quickly to prepare the camps although some services were not ready when people arrived. International humanitarian organizations offered technical advice, and monitored the relocation and reception of displaced persons to the new camps.
A reassessment of various structures and humanitarian needs is required following the aftershocks. The SGR deployed 25 staff members to assess the impact of the aftershocks.
28,775 people in temporary shelters and displacement sites
663 people died
166 schools moderately or severely affected
15% of the Flash Appeal has been funded. Humanitarian needs persist.
Overview
Five weeks after the earthquake, the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) is conducting several surveys to identify and register affected people in the six provinces declared in a state of emergency.
Due to the two strong aftershocks the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MIDUVI) began a reassessment of infrastructure. Additionally, the Ministry of Education suspended classes in the affected areas from 18 to 23 May.
The Emergency Operations Centers (COE) were briefly re-activated at a national level, in the provinces and in the cantons affected to assess the damages of the aftershocks and take action. The international humanitarian community has participated actively in the COE meetings in Portoviejo, Pedernales and Esmeraldas.
Starting on 11 May, in the affected areas of Manabí and Esmeraldas, the Ministry of Social and Economic Inclusion (MIES) started registering the people affected by the earthquake in the Sole Registry of Affected Population, in Spanish known as the Registro Único de Damnificados (RUD). This week, MIES provided information in affected areas concerning the access to several state-provided grants and subsidies.
In the first phase, the RUD was only going to register displaced persons in camps. Now, the system is registering displaced persons living with host families and the most severely damaged areas. Following the registration, MIES determines the eligibility of people for access to the different grants and assistance offered by the Government.