REPORT: Flood Disaster in the Yorkín Community, Talamanca, Costa Rica

By : Autumn Woodward and Benson Venegas.

December 8, 2008

Situation Overview:

On Sunday, November 23, 2008 after 3 weeks of heavy rains and rising rivers, a 90 foot wall of water crashed down the valley of the Tsküy River in Talamanca, Costa Rica. The flood devastated the community of Yorkín. With a population of approximately 250 people, Yorkín is a Bribri indigenous community situated in an isolated location unreachable by road. Thankfully no lives were lost, however sustained unbelievable losses in a single night, and the situation remains critical. Every family in Yorkín is affected by the disaster. Members of Stibrawpa (a community organization representing half of the families of the community) have already mobilized and are working hard to rebuild. However, they are in urgent need of our immediate support.

Summary of Loss:

1. Community Aqueduct

The new water system, which ANAI-CCC[1] partnership and volunteers helped build last summer, was destroyed. The intake at the spring is in tolerable condition; however the pipe suspension bridge and significant quantities of pipe were demolished.

2. Clinic

The small health post in Yorkín is filled with two feet of mud and sand, and sustained damage from a massive logjam which washed up against it, and lost all of the basic medical equipment and supplies it contained.

3. Crops

Plantain and banana plantations which form a basis for family livelihoods suffered severe damages, and in some cases were erased completely. Cacao is also expected to suffer due to water and mud damage. In addition, food crops which supply the base for the people’s diet were lost.

4. Boats and Navigation

Canoes are vital for navigation to and from the community, for transportation of export crops, basic supplies and people. Stibrawpa lost all 6 of their boats, and an undetermined number of families also lost their boats. The courses of the Yorkín and Tsküy Rivers have been dramatically altered, and the river is significantly wider in many places due the loss of confining banks, which can be expected to cause significant challenges to navigation during the dry season. Stretches of the Yorkín River may be impassable by boat during dry months, as there has also been extreme river sedimentation, as acres of land dissolved into the river during the flood.

5. Casa de las Mujeres (Women’s House ecotourism center)

Stibrawpa’s community center and ecotourism lodge were devastated. The river passed over top of the buildings, erasing completely the three guesthouses, which ANAI-CCC partnership and SGP[2] helped to build in previous years. The kitchen and meeting room are still standing, but with serious structural damage. The bathrooms were also destroyed. Close to the entirety of the organization’s records and equipment that were stored in the Women’s House were either taken by the river, or were irrevocably water damaged. Solar panels and all of the Lodge equipment and materials were also lost, most of them were acquired with the support of ACICAFOC[3] and ACTUAR[4].

6. Swinging Bridge

The swinging bridge which spanned the Tsküy River is gone without a trace. Children from the far side of the river used it to reach school. Two small children nearly drowned when they were overwhelmed by the current trying to cross the river after the bridge was lost, and so school has been suspended.

7. Loss of Foot and Horse Access

The trail connecting the community to Bambu was completely washed away in some sections, while other portions slid away in landslides. Combined with the situation of the boats and the swinging bridge, this makes access and transportation issues complicated and critical, particularly considering the lack of basic food, water and medical supplies in the community.

8. Loss of Recreational Space

The soccer field was destroyed, which was an essential aspect of community life, particularly for the young men. The children of Stibrawpa also lost their games and playthings which were stored in the Women’s House. While this may seem trivial in the face of all the other losses, it is vital to maintain the spirit of the community. For children who suffered such a traumatic experience, it is important to find ways to restore normalcy and fun to their lives.

9. Future Vulnerability

The scale of the changes to the Yorkín River watershed is immense. Where once there were pools, rapids and enormous trees there are now bare banks where the land has broken off, rotting tree trunks, and fast flowing water full of sediment. The flood stripped out natural protections such as pools and rapids, and cleared essential vegetation from the banks. This means that now when it rains, there is little to slow the water and the further loss of land. Bernarda (one of the founders of Stibrawpa) mentioned that now when it rains the water rises immediately, without the normal ecosystem functions to slow it down, potentially leaving the community vulnerable to future flash floods even with normal rainfall. There is also concern that the flood formed a dam on either the Yorkín or Tsküy Rivers, because the water level in the rivers has fallen so quickly. The people are afraid to leave the community, because of the possibility of such a dam breaking and unleashing a potentially deadly head of water through the valley.

Emergency Response Plan:

Stage 1: Urgent and Basic Needs

1. Water & Sanitation

As a result of the loss of the aqueduct, there exists a serious situation with relation to drinking water and sanitation. Drinking water: The Red Cross provided a few small containers (5 liters, or a little more than a gallon). Large families have already exhausted their supply of clean water, and as a result there is a problem of diarrhea in babies and children – a situation which could worsen if not addressed immediately. Contamination of water: In addition, there are dead animals such as pigs and horses, as well as wild animals, which were killed by the flood and are a contamination risk for the streams and rivers. At least one septic tank washed into the river and another is currently leaking into the Tsküy River. Children were noted swimming in water downstream of these hazards. Dishwashing is also a concern – with no running water, there is a potential for waterborne illness due to washing dishes in unclean water. Likewise, there are few options for bathing, and many people are sharing small springs to bathe in. Mosquito-borne disease also poses a potential risk, due to large areas of standing water, which could lead to outbreaks of dengue (a fever illness carried by mosquitoes in this region of Costa Rica - the hemorrhagic variety causes death by bleeding in a matter of days).

Needs:

1. Clean drinking water: a) Need for Cervecería de Costa Rica-Cristal (Spring Water in bottles) to deliver a large truck full of five gallon containers of clean water to Bambu, and to do so again as necessary. b) Temporary water filtration system (U.V. or other filter and hoses).

2. Dishwashing: Pots (for boiling dishwashing water and water for bathing infants); dishwashing tubs; dish soap; dish towels

3. Personal Hygiene: Soap; towels; sanitary napkins; large bottles of alcohol hand sanitizer; laundry soap (biodegradable soaps if possible); newborn baby washing tubs; toilet paper; diapers; baby wipes

4. Mosquito Nets: To cover beds to prevent mosquito-borne disease.

5. Resources to clean contamination: Materials to seal leaking septic systems; safety equipment to dispose of dead animals (gloves, masks, etc.); shovels and rice sacks; chainsaws and fuel.

2. Medicine/Healthcare

The loss of the health post included loss of all equipment therein. Because of Yorkín’s isolated location, the provision of basic medical supplies and services (a doctor comes every 15 days) within the community is essential. The Health Committee spoke to the physician, who provided a basic list of needs for the clinic.

Needs: (TALK TO DOCTOR!)

1. Medicines:

Benadryl

Povodine-Iodine/Betadyne

Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin)

Sterile gauze pads; gauze for wrapping

Bandages (ACE and Triangle)

Arm splint

Wooden stretcher (for evacuations)

Anti-fungal cream

Oral rehydration salts (adults)

Antibiotics

Anti-diarrhea

Paste to treat skin sores

Tubs for soaking skin infections (rubber boots and dirty water)

Vitamins

Children:

Infant rehydration salts

Children’s rehydration salts

Liquid acetaminophen

Children/infant cold, flu and cough medicine

Children’s cough syrup

Child antibiotics/anti-diarrhea

Nasal decongestants

Vitamins