TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, November 18, 1998 (ENS) - The international medical humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) is warning of a toxic spill in the Choluteca River brought on by Hurricane Mitch.
An undetermined quantity of pesticides and other toxic material from chemical and agro-chemical production plants were spilled into the river as a result of the floods provoked by Hurricane Mitch which struck Central America with devastating effect in the last week of October. "Many barrels have been lost, they are in the river and it is feared that people are using them to store their water," explains Maria Basaran, medical coordinator of the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) group working in Honduras.
"Although there is no laboratory confirmation yet, two of the chemicals which have apparently spilled into the river are deadly at minimal concentration levels," she said.
One medical team working in the affected zone treated more than 30 cases of poisoning in the municipality of Marcovia, Department of Choluteca. If toxicity in the water is confirmed, it is feared that in the coming days the number of cases will increase. About 360,000 persons live in the Department of Choluteca.
Given the menace to the health of the population in question, MSF has sent a first consignment of antidote. The doctors are asking that concerned authorities take the necessary measures to protect the population living in the affected zone. The humanitarian organisation is preparing a contingency plan.
"Stagnant water and damaged sanitation systems have greatly heightened incidents of water borne diseases and the threat of epidemics of dengue fever, cholera and malaria," said Sergio Vieira de Mello, United Nations undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs. He returned to New York Tuesday from a survey of the damage to Central America saying the emergency is not yet over and for many victims, will last for some months to come. Today, Vieira de Mello is co-chairing a meeting with James Speth, head of the UN Development Programme. It brings together UN agencies, nongovernmental organizations and the international financial institutions. The meeting is to coordinate action for responding to immediate rehabilitation priorities and to prepare for the Consultative Group Meeting for Reconstruction of the Central American Countries convoked during the week of December 7 by the Inter American Development Bank.