Casa Baltimore/Limay

Today the municipal authorities of San Juan de Limay declared a municipal red alert, because the damage caused by rains overcame their ability to manage. This municipality reports various flooded neighborhoods, besides finding itself incommunicado from the rise of two rivers which prevent passage on the main highway connecting it with Esteli, the departmental capital.

In spite of the fact that the number of displaced persons decreased from 222 to 63, the mayor’s office of San Juan de Limay lost economic and logistical control of the situation, and therefore felt obliged to declare the red alert.

Colonel Mario Perezcasser, head of Civil Defense, announced that the mayor’s offices of Somotillo and Chinandega are also studying the possibility of raising their state of alert from green to red, because of the many damages reported from precipitation.

In Somotillo there are 330 persons in two temporary shelters. In El Realejo there are 225 displaced persons, and in Managua 150 persons needed to be evacuated from the Manchester neighborhood.

ROADS CUT OFF

Perezcassar said that up until 11 a.m. there were 785 displaced persons taking refuge in eight temporary shelters.

Besides this, damaged roads were also reported. In Leon [department] there are eight incommunicado population areas. The highway that links Leon with Poneloya is impassable. Other cut-off roads are La Dalia-Waslala, Waslala-Siuna, Siuna-Rosita and Rosita-Bilwi.

The Civil Defense head believes that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will need twice the 100 million cordobas that it had requested, in order to repair the damage caused by the rains of September and October.

The green alert is being maintained across the country. Tropical Depression 16 was lowered to a low pressure center, but in the west [of Nicaragua] it has allowed an entire week’s worth of rain to fall in one day.

Translaton by Barbara Larcom

Hello, Barbara!

Well, what can I tell you? The rains have been constant, until today when no rain fell. But according to information on TV, a storm is approaching from the Pacific with hurricane predictions, which will affect the countries of El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, according to experts.

In our case, if this phenomenon occurs, it would affect a large part of the western part of the country, specifically Chinandega and Leon, and if so, we would find ourselves involved as that zone is a neighbor to us and it always falls on us when it affects that zone.

In truth, we are almost incommunicado. The river is passing across the Gualilica bridge, that is, the entrance to the municipality. The Los Quesos River that passes through La Naranja can’t be crossed, and the bus from San Francisco [Norte] isn’t coming. More than that, the Mosquito stream, that is at the exit from Limay in the same direction, damaged the bridge, and it’s not known when it will be repaired.

There’s a lot of concern, according to what they told me this morning, that the Health Department is holding meetings with different sectors that work in the locality, in order to take measures, now that cases of leptospirosis are suspected in some communities, and they want to prepare against a situation of epidemic which could occur.

For the moment the harvests of basic grains have not been lost, but if the rains persist, it is probable that they will be. Anyway, we’ll keep in touch.

PHONE CALL TO LIMAY 4/22/07

Present on the call: Marilyn Carlisle, Barbara Larcom, Tranquilino Garmendia, Olidia Corea, Leonidas Silva

Next phone call May 20th at 7:00 pm EDT

PERCEPTIONS OF EFFECTS OF NATIONAL CONDITIONS ON LIMAY

Education: Teachers’ strike described as limited in spite of reports from Nicaragua Network Hotline; doesn’t seem to have affected Limay. Also there is now free Saturday high school in Limay, because of support for education from the national government. (The private school still functions as an
alternative.)

Health: More medications are available in the hospital.

Agriculture: Help for cattle ranchers and farmers of basic grains expected (acc. to TV) soon — probably May. For example, co-ops may be able to buy tractors at good rates.

Energy: No more electricity cut-offs; it’s normal now. Main reason given for this was the agreement with Venezuela to provide oil for energy generation.
Also agreed, when asked, that Daniel Ortega’s threat didn’t hurt either, to cut off the contract with Union Fenosa (the Spanish company distributing electricity), if it didn’t shape up.

CONDITIONS IN LIMAY

Weather very hot, a little rain, people preparing ground for planting when real rain begins. This is the hottest time of year, right before the rains start in May.

The Asociacion Padre Cesar Jerez (located in the same office as our Limay
committee) now has Internet access. Leonardo Silva has already used it to send us some email.

WORK OF THE LIMAY COMMITTEE

Homes: They’ve built 3 new homes and repaired 7 others. Leonidas made a tour yesterday and saw the new and repaired homes. The doors are purchased but waiting to be hung on the new houses; he will take pictures as soon as doors are on…hopefully by Thursday, April 26. Will use Berta’s digital camera.
Leonidas’s question: Should they spend on more repairs? Our response: “Yes!”
Tree nurseries: Scholarship students are still working on these.

Solidarity Conference in Managua: We urged them to get involved with the planning within Nicaragua toward this conference to take place in July 2007.
We gave them the contact information for the group coordinating the planning (Kairos)—urged them to call or e-mail. They asked if people not involved in CB/L could help in planning, we said absolutely yes! We also read off the 5 categories of topics for workshops, plenaries, and forums at the conference.
They will choose 5 or 6 people to go to conference—Tranquilino cannot go because of the health of his mother, who’s staying with him.

Delegation: Told them our delegation would probably arrive in Limay around July 6. Said right now we have three people definitely coming, with others considering. After visiting Limay, we can all travel together from Limay to the conference in Managua.

We also told them about our upcoming May 4 event, to try to raise more funds for their projects.

This is a translation of a portion of a letter sent from Jose Alberto Corea, a member of the congregation of the San Juan de Bautista church in San Jaun de Limay.

…we want to tell you about our church. It is looking very good. The roof and ceiling have been changed and repaired, it has been painted inside and outside. Later, I will send you photos of the church. We give thanks to Casa Baltimore and to St Vincents church for the money to enable us to do this.

Barbara Larcom called Leonidas, because she hadn’t received the email we were expecting from Leonardo.

The river has risen significantly, over the bridge, and the buses aren’t running to Esteli. That’s why Leonardo didn’t send the email on Tuesday. There has been a good bit of rain in Limay, although it has stopped now. It is much better there than in places like Guatemala, El Salvador, and parts of Honduras, they said. As a result of too much rain, some of the harvest has been lost, but some remains. Everyone is safe and well. But Leonidas did go to the bank in Esteli on Monday and paid for the US visa applications. All of their interview appointments (except Maria Gilma) are on November 3 at 8 am. Leonidas reports that Maria Gilma, the mayor, would very much like to come to Baltimore. Her travel plans to Spain changed somewhat. She leaves for Spain on November 5 and returns on November 15. She’s willing to travel immediately to the United States as part of the delegation. Her interview for the US visa is scheduled for October 28. Leonidas and l discussed the possibility of changing the delegation dates to Wednesday, Nov. 16, through Wednesday, Nov. 30. She explained that we have a meeting this evening, and she would bring these dates to the group for their consideration. Marilyn has scheduled a phone call to the Limay committee for this Sunday, October 23, so she can share our decision at that time and make other arrangements. She promised to fax a revised letter of invitation, with the new dates and the modified list of delegation members.