Tuesday - November 3, 1998 - 6:37 a.m.
Update from Miguel Moreno (by SS):
Search continues for crew of S/V FANTOME
S/V Fantome, a large four-mast sailing ship, 120 feet (37m) tall, 282 feet
(86m) long, white hull with blue border. Crew of 31 on board. Last contact
was Tuesday, 27 October at 16:30. Heading 085 degrees (easterly) about
10 miles South of the island of Guanaja off the Honduran Coast (16.14N 86.04 W) when the onboard satellite telephone ceased functioning.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Windjammer Cruises in
Miami, Florida, USA. Please report any verifiable lead.
Telephone USA 305-538-7772. Call collect, 24 hours, 7 days.
*************************************************************
From US Coast Guard
Nov 2, 1998 (evening)
Seventh District Public Affairs Office
Coast Guard continues search: debris fields found
Four U.S. Coast Guard C-130 fixed wing aircraft and the HMS Sheffield
searching for the S/V Fantome with 31 people on board, located a debris
field near Isla de Guanaja, Honduras and another debris field 30 miles North of Isla de Roatan, Honduras.
In the vicinity of Guanaja two life rafts were located and a total of seven life jackets. The serial number of the first life raft has been confirmed as a Fantome life raft. Also, units are investigating the report of a wooden staircase.
In the vicinity of the second debris field a U.S. Coast Guard C-130 reported wood, timber and a blue material. The Sheffield's helicopter is
investigating the second debris sighting.
The U.S. Coast Guard will continue its search with two Coast Guard C-130s
from Clearwater, Fla., and the Sheffield is continuing its search throughout
the evening.
*****************************************************************
AP article 11/2/98 22:38 quotes the Coast Guard as saying that among the
31 crew missing, 11 are from Guanaja, 2 from Honduras, and 1 from Nicaragua.
Tuesday - November 3, 1998 - 08:25 a.m.
Update on Utila by "Steve":
I talked to some friends on Utila on the telephone there this morning (Tues). They informed me things were not too bad. Beach erosion, docks and roofs missing, but most structures still there.
Tuesday - November 3, 1998 - 10:02 a.m.
Update from Charles Meador:
We called TACA today (11/03) and were advised that they are
running regular passenger service to La Ceiba -
nothing to San Pedro Sula at this time however.
Tuesday - November 3, 1998 - 1:30 p.m.
Update on Tegucigalpa from Rodger Harrison, Paramedics For Children:
I was just informed by the American Embassy in Tegucigalpa that they are
pulling out a lot of people, and that there is a fuel shortage at the
airport, because all the roads are out. With out roads there is no gas .
Because of this they say that many airlines will not be able to fly. In
other words airline traffic will be suspended. You may be able to get
in, but no guarantee in getting out. They have recommended that we hold
off for a week or more until the situation stabilizes. This is not good,
Our team of paramedics has had enough problems getting in, let alone
having a problem getting out. What next Lord?
Tuesday - November 3, 1998. 2:40 p.m.
Update on El Paraiso from Ismael Flores Bertrand:
Last night I spoke with my brother Juan Carlos in El Paraiso and he said that El Paraiso City is in pretty good condition with the exemption of the surrounding areas. There are many poor
people receiving shelter in schools and also in the City Hall. There is no electricity in the city and they are specting to get it back in about three days my brother said. He also mentioned that there are about twenty tractor trailers filled with food, but the road that communicate El Paraiso with the Nicaraguan border line is destroyed. He also mentioned that there will be improvising a bridge so they can resume the communication in the area. Food is running low in the city and they really need a supply. I'll be doing my best to collect goods for my
people.
Tuesday - November 3, 1998. - 3:05 p.m.
Special Message from San Pedro Sula, Honduras:
Thank you all for offering aid! We are sending the nesessary information for humanitarian aid that could be sent by you or your organization to take care of the necessities of the people damaged in our city.
- All international aid by air can be sent to the aerial base White Grove (Palmerola) at 14.22N, 87.37W
- Also to the airports of Tegucigalpa, La Ceiba, and Roatan.
- The aid by sea can be sent to Puerto Cortes at 15.50N, 87.55W or Port Castile at 16.05N, 85.55W
There are 350,000 people who are without food or shelter.
Thank you for your generous contributions.
Raul Gerald Escoto
Colonel of Infanteria
Head of COPECO Operations
copeco@honduras.com
Tuesday - November 3, 1998 - 5:55 p.m.
Update on La Ceiba from "Sophie":
I just got word from my friend in La Ceiba that they now have power. He said that things are not so great there, mainly due to the fact that all the bridges are down everywhere. For example, The Cangrejal river took out the upper iron bridge (cutting off communities located up there)
and the bridge down by the city and they seem to be cut off from Teguc and SPS, so food and supplies are running low. Rios Honduras and Mosquita River companies were shuttling people across the river in their rafts.
Also, the prisoners all got loose so there is a curfew at 8:00 pm. But it seems that some people are in decent spirits despite it all.
Tuesday - November 3, 1998 - 7:00 p.m.
Update on San Lorenzo, Choluteca, and Nacaome:
San Lorenzo radio stations HRSY AM 1410 La Voz del Pacifico, and HRDL FM 105.7 Stereo Leed are operating 24 hours per day, transmitting and answering telephones. San Lorenzo electricity and telephones are on in the inner city. Surrounding areas damaged and flooded. Nacaome and Choluteca flooded and damaged, no electricity, no telephones.
Tuesday - November 3, 1998 - 10:35 p.m.
Update on Comayagua and Siguatepeque from Aart van der Horst:
Comayagua and Siguatepeque are more or less OK. The electricity was restored yesterday afternoon, telephones are working and there is still no shortage of food and fuel. The damage of Mitch is concentrated in the rural areas and some municipalities of Comayagua have not been contacted yet. About 14 of the 21 municipalities have big problems with their water supply systems, so we are trying to restore them as soon as possible.
The road to Tegucigalpa is open up to Flores at the entrance of the valley of Comayagua. In the direction of San Pedro there are still problems in Taulabé, but people are working on it. Yesterday I visisted La Libertad were last thursday afternoon a dam was built up in the river and after it collapsed has flushed away about three aldeas and three barrios which were built along the river. After the disaster they reported about 100 killed; but up till now the number of confirmed victims is about 22. About 500 people has lost everything. It was awful to see all the houses, coffeemills, trucks, buses, 2 petrol stations, 2 bridges and 1 college completely swept away. The water system is out of order since that time and people are suffering.
We managed to get some funds from the Dutch Embassy in Costa Rica and are planning to buy tomorrow about 500 meters of pipes to restore the drinking water supply. I hope we will manage. Tomorrow I will visit some other villages to see what we can do in order to avoid Cholera, etc. They are small things, but the most important is that it gives the people energy to continue.
Information from: Karen Garcia - November 3, 1998.
My husband has contacted his family in Tegucigalpa. As of early Monday morning the electricity is on in only parts of the city. The city is now made up of island neighborhood. My sister in laws are both doctors there and are very concerned about the aftermath down the road and the potential and probable outbreak of cholera. They both said that the city looks as if it is a war zone. Everyone is worried about were the food will come from once the supplies in their homes are gone. (if their homes are still standing) I implore anyone who reads these messages to call your local agency assisting the victims
of mitch to help with anything they can.
___________________________
Information from: Mary Ann Nuñez
I do have some good news from La Ceiba.
Yesterday electricity was restored to most of the city. Hondutel had fixed many phone lines. This has helped to calm some of the panic. A cargo plane landed with 7,000 lbs of food. My dad flew over La Ceiba, Tocoa, Trujillo, Sava and Olanchito. Trujillo did not look too bad, all things considered, but Sava has been devestated. The valley was flooded. Santa Fe, Colon was hit hard as well. Th Trujillo airstrip is open. The other side of Coyoles was also in bad shape. People from Tocoa are arriving in La Ceiba looking for supplies. My parents fear that because of the damage in the major cities, the smaller towns and villiages might be forgotten.
Posted by Paul Graham on November 03, 1998
The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network is accepting inquiries concerning the Health and Welfare of persons in the Hurricane Mitch affected area. Due to spotty (at best) communications in the affected area, it may take a while to fulfill your requests. You can send your H and W requests to SATERN by going to the web-site at: http://www.angelfire.com/il/satern411/emailfrm.html and entering the required information into the form on that page.
Please provide as much information as possible regarding the person(s) you are seeking to make our job easier.
Thank you.
Paul
___________________________
URGENT PRESS RELEASE
Project: CORAZON Y CORAZON
For the Eighth day in a row we have been working to collect supplies to send to Honduras. When Hurricane Mitch
became a category 5 hurricaine it was implicitly obvious that it would cause devastation wherever it struck.
Accordingly, we began communication with the Office of Foreign Disaster Relief (Jason Hoffman and Peter Smith) I
will not list their office number as it still may be possible they will do some good especially since they have disaster
funds at their discretion to throw around. The US military Southern Command had a charter flight to Panama and we
had arranged to carry our medical team to Honduras aboard the charter Miami Air flight from Atlanta Flight
#BKBPMJ700 which was a 727 with 115 slotted passengers and space for 172. We wanted to fill 15 seats with our
medical team.
The Southern Command had approved it. But a Mr. Libby with the office of Foreign Relief decided in
his infinite wisdom that additional paperwork needed to be completed. Obviously, he needed to exercise some
authoritative control in order that the US government could take credit for privately funded and organized relief efforts.
Our group of individuals are serious. We have already sent a DC-4 cargo plane from Georgia to La Ceiba, Honduras
carrying medical supplies, food, water, and clothing. This was funded privately after constant requests not only to the
Office of Foreign Disaster Relief, but to state government agencies, and to the Office of the President. The President
went on American Television asking for help and promising relief to the Honduran people. So why then do other
branches of government block that relief and help? It is extremely frustrating to want to help and have our own
government interfere with those efforts.
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