Paraguay

A woman receives assistance from USAID and the Paraguayan Red Cross during the 2008 drought.

Paraguayan Red Cross

Heavy rains beginning in early April 2012, caused flooding that resulted in seven deaths and affected approximately 80,000 people in Boquerón, Presidente Hayes, and Alto Paraguay departments in the Chaco Region of Paraguay as of May 8, according to the Government of Paraguay (GoP).  The flooding also damaged and destroyed homes and rendered many roads impassable, and floods adversely affected agriculture, as well as health and education services.  The GoP National Emergency Secretariat established an emergency operations center to lead response efforts and provide humanitarian assistance to flood-affected populations.   

USG HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED IN FY 2012

*(As of September 4, 2012)

FY 2011 Latin American and Caribbean Disaster Risk Reduction Fact Sheet (190kb PDF) and map (143kb PDF)

Key Developments

On May 10, 2012, U.S. Ambassador James H. Thessin declared a disaster due to the effects of the floods.  In response, USAID/OFDA provided nearly $750,000 to the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) for emergency and transitional shelter to benefit approximately 3,150 people.  USAID/OFDA assistance also enabled ADRA to purchase, transport, and distribute emergency relief supplies—such as mattresses and mosquito nets—to the most severely affected communities.