Towards the restoration of the intermunicipal system of flood early warning in the area of MAMUCA, Honduras

Date: 24 June 2016

Venue: La Ceiba, Honduras

The members of the Community of Municipalities of Centre Atlantis (MAMUCA), composed by the Municipalities of El Porvenir, San Francisco, La Masica, Esparta and Arizona, the Governor of the Department and authorities of the Permanent Commission of Contingencies (COPECO), gathered on 24 June 2016 in the City of La Ceiba, Department of Atlantida, Honduras, signed an act by which they undertake to join efforts to implement the Action Plan to Restore the Intermunicipal System of Flood Early Warning in the area. Likewise, MAMUCA agreed to request the good offices of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS), through the Department of Sustainable Development (SEDI/DSD), to contribute in supporting these efforts.

The first community systems of early warning (SAT) established in Honduras were promoted in mid-90s by OAS, with support of the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Community, Republic of Ireland and Republic of Turkey. Since then onwards, SATs have had an elemental role in risk management, becoming one of the primary devices for disaster risk reduction in Central America. SATs incorporate to communities at risk active elements since the designing phase to make them part of the system and know the actions to follow once an alert is issued.

Because of that, in September 2001, after formally constitution of MAMUCA, the Intermunicipal Program for Early Warning Systems (PRIMSAT) was implemented throughout the municipalities members, operating on the basis of a network of observation and monitoring of precipitations and river levels. In addition, under the implementation of this program, several SAT were established and existing ones strengthened. This was a unique experience in Honduras and other Central American and Caribbean countries.

The meeting held on June 24, 2016, is preceded by a study conducted during the second quarter of 2015 by SEDI/DDS, about SATs in the area, at request of the COPECO. The result of the study pointed out the need to restore the Intermunicipal System of Flood Early Warning in the Community of Municipalities of Centre Atlantis, based on the Manual for Design, Installation, Operation and Maintenance of Systems of Flood Early Warning and Online Database, both prepared by GS/OAS and adopted by COPECO in its special edition for Honduras.

The result of the meeting is an outcome of the work performed between COPECO and the technical assistance of GS/OAS through its Department of Sustainable Development. Joint municipal actions for the implementation of the Action Plan to restore the Intermunicipal System of Flood Early Warning System in MAMUCA are expected shortly, together with the support of GS/OAS.

Meeting of June 24, 2016 in La Ceiba, Atlantida, Honduras, for the implementation of the Action Plan for Intermunicipal System Reset Flood Early Warning

Participants of the meeting and act signing members of COPECO, MAMUCA, local and state authorities, and representatives of OAS