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    "title": "Guatemala - Earthquake (2)",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 3, folder \"Guatemala - Earthquake (2)\" of the\nNational Security Adviser. NSC Latin American Affairs Staff: Files for Latin America at\nthe Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nfels\nFebruary 16, 1976\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT\nSUBJECT: Special Report on the Guatemalan Disaster\nIn seismic terms, the Guatemalan earthquakes were \"major\";\nin human terms, this disaster must be ranked as a tragedy of\ngreat and terrible magnitude. Based on my visit to Guatemala\non February 12 and 13, I will attempt first to give you a\nbrief overview of the disaster and its setting.\nGeneral Situation\nThe major shock area is large - about 3,530 square miles, or\nequivalent to the Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek area\nof Michigan. 1.03 million people populate the area and 80 -\n90 percent are now homeless. In the entire affected area,\n22,360 are dead, 74,000 were injured and over one million\nwere left homeless. (The wife of President Laugerud,\nconcentrating on assistance to children, estimates at least\n5,000 children became orphaned.) Overall, 20 percent of the\ncountry's people are directly affected. I should mention\nthat as harder information comes in, the numbers keep rising.\nIn U.S. terms, comparable figures would mean 2,800,000\nkilled and injured and 38,000,000 homeless.\nThe greatest impact is upon the poor - and it is essentially\na rural disaster. The rural poor cluster their small adobe\nhomes in villages. Adobe brick walls, while they look\nsubstantial, are not strong. They collapsed allowing the\nheavy clay tile roofs to fall in on the sleeping victims.\nThe urban poor live in make-shift shacks which simply fell\napart.\nIt is relevant to make two interesting side comments to the\nabove. First, the casualty toll was great and the count was\ndifficult to make because so many victims were trapped,\nunable to get outside before their dwelling collapsed during\nthe approximate thirty seconds of the main shock. Second,\nconventionally built homes, especially the newer, though\ndamaged, were not destroyed, thus inflicting fewer and less\nserious casualties.\nFORD\n&\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 2 -\nCompounding the dimensions of the disaster was that it took\nplace at 3:02 a.m., the time when the greatest proportion of\nthe population was inside, asleep and not alert to respond\nquickly. And adding at least to the confusion was the\ndarkness. Where electricity existed, it was cut or turned\noff to reduce chances for fire and electrocution from exposed,\nhigh-tension lines.\nOutside Guatemala City, the terrain, rugged, mountainous,\nprobably of volcanic formation, makes communications of any\nkind (roads, phones, even radio) difficult even in normal\ncircumstances. Thus, in the vast hard-hit rural area virtu-\nally all immediate relief assistance was limited to that\navailable locally. The sudden, gigantic and urgent needs\nfor emergency help, tools, medicines were largely unmet\nduring the crucial early hours and first days until rescuers\ncould make their way in by some means.\nBefore turning to the response stage, I would like to mention\nanother facet, parenthetically. Your description to me of\nthe unusual nature of an earthquake you had seen some years\nago in Yugoslavia was confirmed. It is awesome. It is\nalmost eerie. Unlike other types of disasters, there is no\nclear-cut point marking the end of exposure to further risk.\nMore than 600 tremors have been felt since the first quake.\nThey are still happening. Several of the many I felt were\nsevere enough shocks to do additional damage and to be\nvisible in the sense of seeing the movements of the building\nI was in.\nThis has resulted in a widely felt sense of insecurity. A\nview of Guatemala City from a helicopter reveals tents in\ngardens, parks and on the sidewalk or street in front of\nhomes seemingly and reportedly not seriously damaged. Also,\nmany people sleep in their cars, if they don't have tents or\nother shelter from the very cool nights.\nMy impression is that, in immediate response to the disaster,\nvirtually everyone who wasn't a victim turned, unhesitatingly,\nto aid others. President Laugerud, for example, took direct\npersonal command immediately and was even able to check on\none hospital's response capability within 27 minutes. after\nthe quake.\nThis self-initiated individual type of response quickly\nbecame organized by entity, e.g., government ministry,\nchurch or civic group, and voluntary agency. Then with the\nformation of the National Emergency Committee by the Presi-\ndent there came the means of beginning to coordinate activ-\nities for a national response, including the allocation of FORD\nassistance resources to areas of priority need.\n?\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 3 -\nI. Assessment of Damage\nA. Physical Damage\nDamage is concentrated in the densely populated Indian-\ninhabited Eastern Highlands, portions of the capital city\nand wide areas to the west, roughly 20 percent of the area\nof the country. A number of important rural population\ncenters in the affected area were nearly totally destroyed,\nincluding Mixco (population 10,900), San Pedro (4,800),\nPatzicia (7,100), Patzun (8,300), Joyabaj (2,400), Tecpan\n(5,900), San Juan Sacatepequez (6,700), and E1 Progreso\n(4,000).\n1. Housing and Other Building Damage\nBy far the most devastating impact of the earthquake was on\nthe housing of the poor. The great majority of Guatemala's\npopulation resides in small towns and rural areas in adobe\nhouses. Over 150,000 of these are estimated by the Govern-\nment of Guatemala to have collapsed. In Guatemala City,\nsome 100,000 dwellings of the urban poor were destroyed.\nThe value of these urban and rural dwellings has not been\ndetermined. In most cases, they were built by the families\nwho occupied them. It is probable that they will be rebuilt\nin the same fashion. A rough estimate of the financial\ncosts of replacement might range from $150-$250 million,\ndepending on whether new construction will adopt earthquake\nresistant design improvements.\nThere was, of course, loss to commercial, church, and public\nbuildings, essentially in the small rural towns. No estimates\nare available, as yet, on these losses.\nSeveral major hopsitals in the capital were damaged by the\nquake and their staffs have been operating in other available\nbuildings on a make-shift basis, pending assessment, repair,\nor replacement of damaged hospitals. Hospitals in several\nother communities were also severely damaged, as were many\nhealth centers and health posts.\n2. Infrastructure\n(a) Transport and Communications\nThe Guatemala City-Puerte Barrios highway and railroad, the\nprimary transportation links from the capital to the Caribbean\ncoast, have been cut because of a three-span fallen bridge\nand numerous landslides. A U.S. military engineer survey\nteam is now in the field assessing the extent of damage.\nFURD\n?\nGERALD\n- 4 -\nA much more circuitous road from the coast to the capital is\nstill open, but cannot handle the entire heavy traffic load\nthat normally passes between the capital and the coast.\nPreliminary estimates of the cost of restoration of the road\nfrom Guatemala to the Caribbean approach $25 million. In\nmany areas of the highlands, roads also have been blocked by\nnumerous slides. An estimate of cost of restoring major and\nsecondary roads throughout the damaged area is $35 million,\nof which the major cost will probably be for the main highway\nartery to Puerto Barrios. The cost to repair the railroad\nis not yet known.\nTelephone communications, never particularly good, have been\nseverely damaged by the quake. Phone lines are down through-\nout the affected area. Restoration is under way. However,\nit will be some weeks before all major phone lines are\nrepaired.\n(b) Water and Electricity\nThe first earthquake left approximately 40 percent of the\nresidents of the capital without water supplies, and the\nwater supplied to other sections of the city was unprotected\nby chlorination. This situation has improved marginally\nsince then, due to emergency repairs and to increased chlorin-\nation. In many smaller cities, the water supply and distri-\nbution systems were partially destroyed, although the main\nwater sources and storage systems remain relatively intact.\nRestoration and improvement of all of these systems will\nrequire major effort.\nElectricity in Guatemala City is back on. However, regional\ntransmission as well as local distribution of power service\nto many localities in the interior has been and still is\ndisrupted.\nB. Economic Impact\n1. Balance of Payments Effects\nFortunately, Guatemala enjoyed a relatively strong balance\nof payments position in 1975. Its net foreign exchange\nreserves increased from the end of 1973 to the end of 1975\nfrom $201 million to $280 million, a level equal to approxi-\nmately four months of imports. Still too early to project\nthe effects of the earthquake on Guatemala's foreign exchange\nposition, it is clear the tourism income, which reached $70\nmillion in foreign exchange earnings in 1975, will decline\nand probably sharply. While, in the overall, hotels are\nonly slightly damaged, some suffered heavy damage. It will\nbe some time before prospective visitors regain confidence FORD\nand resume their travels to Guatemala,\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 5 -\nMore importantly, the earthquake is expected to cause a\nsignificant upsurge in imports, particularly of glass,\nconstruction materials, and equipment. Some stocks of\nmanufactured goods will also have to be replaced. Guate-\nmala's main foreign exchange earners other than tourism,\ni.e., coffee, sugar, cotton, bananas and meat, have not been\naffected, and almost all of its industrial production capac-\nity remains intact.\nAs its foreign debt service burden has been below 5 percent,\nGuatemala therefore has the capacity to borrow substantially\nto help finance its reconstruction and investment programs.\nHeavy reliance on large commerical borrowings, however,\nwould increase debt servicing costs rapidly.\n2. Budgetary Effects\nThe government's budgetary position, traditionally strong,\nwill certainly be adversely affected. Some reductions may\nbe expected in corporate and personal income tax collections\nas affected businesses write off their losses. Most signif-\nicant will be the effect of increased government expenditures\nfor relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The govern-\nment will be called upon to assist the rural and normally\npoor municipalities in restoring the water supply and other\nessential services and provide emergency assistance to the\nhomeless and medical assistance to the injured. Moreover,\ncredit for housing reconstruction will be needed for many of\nthe homeless. Unfortunately, these expenditures, either for\ntemporary or more permanent shelter, cannot be spread over a\nnumber of years but will have to be concentrated within a\nrelatively short period.\n3. Effect on Prices\nPrice stability has long been a characteristic of the Guate-\nmalan economy, but that changed in 1973 and 1974 when, as\ndid many countries, Guatemala, largely from external causes,\nexperienced serious effects from inflation. However, by the\nend of 1975, price stability had significantly improved.\nStrong inflationary pressures are expected, as an aftermath\nof the disaster, in the area of construction and construction\nmaterials. Demand is expected to exceed substantially\navailable productive capacity. Wages in the construction\nindustry are expected to rise sharply. As an offset, the\njust completed harvests of corn, beans, and wheat were\nrelatively bountiful and can be expected to hold down price\nincreases in basic foodstuffs. However, large quantities of\ngrains were stored in and around homes and were partially\nlost. This may cause some increases in food prices.\nFORD\n&\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 6 -\n4. Employment Effects\nA number of businesses, closed temporarily until power was\nrestored and repairs were made, are now reopening. However,\nmany neighborhood shops and small businesses have been\ncompletely destroyed. Tourism and arts and crafts, normally\nan important source of employment, may be depressed for at\nleast some months. Moreover, with so many homes destroyed\nand material possessions lost, the arts and crafts industry,\nlargely a home industry, may suffer dislocation.\nThese adverse employment effects are expected to be of a\nshort-term nature. The intensive reconstruction effort will\nprovide additional jobs in the construction and construction\nmaterials industries. The manufacturing industry, which\naccounts for. roughly 6 percent of the GNP, has not been\nseriously affected, and most major commerical establishments\neither have resumed, or soon will resume, operations.\nIn sum, the impact of the disaster on the balance of payments\nbudget, production, and employment is not expected to be\nunmanageable. In human terms, however, the disaster is truly\na disaster. Hardest hit were the poor, those who can least\nafford to lose their employment, homes, and possessions.\nII. Disaster Relief\nA. Immediate Response\n1. Government of Guatemala\nA national emergency was declared immediately after the\nfirst earthquake. The military received and has exercised\nextraordinary powers to deal with the immediate relief\nproblems. The government has invested, and is investing,\nmassive effort in clearing roads of landslide debris,\ncompleting initial damage assessments and distributing\ngovernment food stocks. Price controls are being enforced\nto prevent the exploitation of temporary shortages. Citizens\ngenerally are contributing time and financing to help to\nsave lives and feed the most affected. Private sector\nresources, whether channeled through the Guatemalan Red\nCross or other organizations or provided on an individual\nbasis, have played a significant role in speeding relief to\nthose affected by the earthquake. The mass of the popula-\ntion is \"cooperating\" by its patience, and an almost stoical\ncapacity for suffering.\nFORD\n?\nGERALD\nLISAARY\n- 7 -\nThe Guatemalan Government has formed a National Emergency\nCommittee to coordinate the government relief efforts and\nthe generous assistance being provided by the U.S. and other\ndonors. The coordination task is large, complex and contin-\nuing. The improving communications system and the growing\nexperience of the government point toward the easing of the\ncoordination problem.\nThere have been but few reports of looting, with the govern-\nment moving quickly to deal with any reported problem.\nDuring our visit we heard no complaints about diversion of\nrelief supplies.\n2. United States Government\nWithin hours after the first quake, the U.S. country team in\nGuatemala and A.I.D.'s Foreign Disaster Relief Center were\nin operation on a 24-hour basis. Quickly, we began to move\nin supplies, equipment, and personnel. Among the first\narrivals was a U.S. military Disaster Assistance Survey Team\n(DAST) from Panama. This was followed quickly by a fully-\nequipped and staffed 100-bed U.S. military field hospital\nthat is in operation in the center of the hardest-hit area -\nChimaltenango.\nSubsequently, we provided a U.S. Engineering Survey Team to\nassess damage to roads, bridges, and railroads; 18 large\nhelicopters; 8 two-man medical/communications teams to\nassess needs and provide medical assistance in isolated\nareas; and a considerable amount of tents, medical supplies,\nfield kitchens, generators, etc., from A.I.D.'s disaster\nrelief stockpile in Panama. Two medical officers from the\nCommunicable Disease Center in Atlanta and two U.S. Public\nHealth Service pharmacists are assisting the Guatemalans in\nestablishing systems to survey disease outbreaks and in\norganizing the receipt, storage, and use of the large\nquantities of donated medical supplies. We are also funding\nthe transportation costs for certain high-priority relief\nshipments by voluntary agencies. Most of our efforts are\nconcentrated in the hardest-hit areas of the highlands\naround Chimaltenango, for the Guatemalan Government has\nasked us to concentrate our resources on this area, which\nwas almost totally devastated.\nAs of February 14, we have allocated $3.6 million to this\neffort. The cost of relief over a 30 to 60-day period may\nrequire up to $20 million, depending on the timing for the\nphasing down of helicopter and field hospital use.\nFORD\na\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 8 -\n3. Other Donors\n(a) Third Country and International Organizations\nRelief Assistance\nThus far, 24 nations other than the United States (and the\nlist is growing) have contributed to the relief effort.\nContributions are being made in cash, personnel, transport,\nfood and other commodities. I am attaching hereto a listing\nof third-country assistance based on the information currently\navailable to us (TAB A).\nInternational organizations are also responding to the needs\nof the immediate relief phase. Their known contributions,\nwhich already amount to over $3.6 million, are listed in\nattachment TAB B.\n(b) Voluntary Agencies\nVoluntary agencies, such as CARE, Catholic Relief Services\n(CRS), Caritas, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, Seventh\nDay Adventists, Partners of the Americas (Alabama), and a\nhost of others, including from other countries, have provided\nand are providing generous and effective support as they put\nto quick use long and practical experience in dealing with\ndisasters. There is no reliable estimate yet available of\nthe financial value of their assistance. A listing, based\non currently known information, is also attached (TAB C).\nB. Post-Immediate Relief Phase\nWe are now at a time when immediate relief requirements are\nmoving into manageable proportions. Medical emergency needs\nhave been largely identified and satisfied, but certainly\nnot entirely, particularly in the more remote rural areas.\nIn-country stocks of medicines, bolstered by donations still\narriving, should be adequate to satisfy requirements, although\nthere may be specialized needs from time to time which\ngenerally can be handled by other donors and private voluntary\norganizations. The major hospitals in Guatemala City are\nfunctioning well and are meeting the immediate needs for\nmedical and surgical care.\nNo signs of epidemics have appeared. The process of restoring\nwater services in rural towns, as well as in parts of Guatemala\nCity, is moving ahead rapidly with provision for proper\ntreatment of water supplies receiving high priority. Apart\nfrom the need for a relatively minimal quantity of tools and\nsupplies in addition to the water storage tanks already\nsupplied by the U.S., completion of temporary repairs to\nFORD\n?\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 9 -\nwater systems in the affected area should be possible without\nsignificant further external relief requirements.\nWater supply capacity in the capital is back to about 50\npercent of pre-earthquake levels. Shortage of supply is of\nlesser concern than is quality. The municipal water plants\nare chlorinating the water being distributed, but damage to\nthe city's parallel water and sewage pipe systems has rendered\nsupply potentially unsafe. Attention is being given to this\nproblem by the government with assistance by the U.S. and\nothers. The monitoring by the health authorities of hospitals\nand clinics is continuing in order to detect as quickly as\npossible any emerging health problems.\nThe major continuing problem, for the short and long run, is\nthe need to provide adequate shelter to the many homeless.\nGiven the relatively modest aspirations of the rural popula-\ntion, provisional needs increasingly are being met by the\ngovernment and several donors. However, additional new\ninputs for this purpose are being considered by others.\nProperly handled, temporary shelter solutions can form the\nbasis for rapidly resolving permanent housing needs through\nself-help programs utilizing simple materials and tools.\nBarring further major quakes, a reasonable degree of normal\neconomic activity and public services should be restored and\nin place in all but the remote areas by the end of this\nmonth or early March. An important factor bearing on this\nprocess, however, will be the rapidity with which closed\nroads are opened to permit access for the movement of food\nand other commodities. While there is no possibility that\nthe main highway to Puerto Barrios can be opened within this\ntime frame, temporary bypass construction will be needed.\nIn-country equipment capacity should be sufficient to handle\ngeneral road clearing work, but preliminary surveys by the\nU.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Atlantic highway damage\nindicate that reopening of the highway will require a major\neffort, expecially if the work called for along the fifty\nmiles primarily affected is to be completed by the advent of\nthe rainy season in mid-May and which normally continues\nuntil November. Whether this operation, located in rugged,\ndifficult terrain, is within the country's capability must\nawait completion of the in-depth damage assessment by the\nCorps of Engineers and a review of construction capacity now\nbeing carried out by the Ministry of Public Works. Decisions\nare expected shortly. Opening the road is obviously one of\nthe priority tasks. The government, with its own facilities,\nhopes to be able to restore the railroad link before the\nrainy season.\nFORD\n&\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 10 -\nFood stocks, augmented through foreign donations, should be\nsufficient for the next few months. There will be continuing\ndifficulties, however, in ensuring adequate supplies in all\nareas because of access problems.\nIII. Rehabilitation and Reconstruction\nEven while the Guatemalans struggle to deal with the emergency\nneeds facing them, attention must be given, and is being\ngiven, to the next phases, i.e., the shorter-run rehabilita-\ntion task and the longer-run reconstruction task. There is\nno clear line distinguishing between these phases, and they\nare not necessarily successive in time sequence, as some\nmust proceed in planning and execution simultaneously.\nEssentially, what is involved are decisions on policies and\nactions for interim and long-term responses to the conse-\nquences of the disaster.\nAfter a relatively long period of slow economic growth,\nGuatemala, in recent years, has begun to develop a national\nnetwork of public services with increased capacity to attend\nto the development needs of the large mass of rural and\nurban poor. The interruption caused by the earthquake in\nthis delayed process of spreading the benefits of develop-\nment to perhaps 80 percent of Guatemala's people poses not\nonly a humanitarian problem but a challenge of fundamental\nimportance to the future course of that nation. In recog-\nnition of this fact, President Laugerud has announced that\nit will be the policy of his government to continue overall\ndevelopment efforts for the entire country, guided by the\n1975-79 Development Plan. The necessary rehabilitation and\nreconstruction efforts in the earthquake affected areas are\nobviously of high priority, but this priority should desir-\nably not deter the government from its development efforts\nto improve the quality of life of the poor Guatemalans.\nThe National Economic Planning Council is about to complete\nan initial assessment of damage cost and economic impact\nprojections which will form the basis for more precise\nestimates of external assistance needs and internal self-\nhelp capacity. Major capital inputs will obviously be\nrequired for housing, road repair, public infrastructure\n(schools, medical centers and hospitals, water supply\nsystems, and public buildings), small business rehabili-\ntation and communication facilities. Moreover, small farmer\nproductivity must be assured through effective and timely\nprovision of normal governmental and cooperative services\n(credit, technical assistance, distribution of improved\nseeds and fertilizers, etc.). The extent to which this\nFORD\ninstitutional infrastructure has been disrupted in the\n&\nGERALD\nLIBHARY\n- 11 -\naffected areas is not yet fully determined, but it is impor-\ntant that it be in place and functioning within the next 6-8\nweeks in anticipation of the May planting season. Obviously,\nprojections of future food import needs will be influenced\nby how well the planting goes in the affected area which,\noutside of Guatemala City, is largely populated by small,\nsubsistence-level farmers.\nIV. Resources for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction\nA. Guatemalan Self-Help Measures\nThe administration of President Laugerud has been distin-\nguished by its dedication to accelerating programs with\nimpact in the long-neglected social areas. A competent\nmanagerial team within his cabinet has pushed forward major\ndevelopment projects, ranging from improved water supply to\ngreatly increased electric power that had begun, before the\ndisaster, to move Guatemala into the forefront of the\nCentral American countries in terms of growth. If, as we\nhope, major economic activity quickly will be restored to\nthe pre-earthquake level and fiscal progress can be main-\ntained and intensified to help carry the heavy burdens now\nplaced upon the population, Guatemala should be in a posi-\ntion to help finance a major portion of the programs re-\nquired to regain and surpass its pre-earthquake situation.\nThe Guatemalan authorities stress their recognition that the\nfoundation of Guatemala's recovery cum development thrust\nwill rest solidly on its own self-help measures. They\nfurther recognize that external assistance will depend\nheavily on demonstration of such self-help. It is too soon\nto judge whether it will be possible for the government to\npursue fully recovery and development simultaneously.\nFortunately, as noted, at the time of the disaster, Guate-\nmala was in a relatively strong financial and economic\nsituation which can bolster the self-reliance underpinning\nof their laudable approach. Some tradeoffs may be necessary,\nhowever.\nA major question in the post-earthquake period situation is\nthe administrative and managerial capacity of Guatemalan\ninstitutions to handle the increased burdens of a recon-\nstruction program. This is understandable because of the\nburdens being placed on top of the normal ones already\nassociated with implementing an active and expanding develop-\nment program. Preliminary consideration is being given to\ncreating a special reconstruction entity. Such an entity\nwould have the responsibility and authority to plan and\ndirect the utilization of all resources destined for recon-\nstruction. An important benefit of this approach would be\nFOHD\na\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 12 -\nthat the entity would be in a position to hire or have\nassigned to it top-notch, qualified personnel, thereby\navoiding the problem of overloading existing ministerial\nstaffs. Presumably, the new entity would also be granted\nemergency powers, enabling it to bypass many of the Guate-\nmalan Government's present internal administrative proce-\ndures, thus speeding up project implementation.\nB. External Assistance\n1. United States\nApart from immediate assistance provided to meet the initial\nemergency and which will be phased down with the decreasing\nneed for such assistance, the question of further U.S.\nassistance can be approached from two levels. The first\nessentially involves reviewing existing loan and grant\nprojects to determine whether restructuring would be feasi-\nble. This examination is underway. Fortuitously, A.I.D.\nrecently (December 1975) had authorized a $13 million loan\nfor small farmer development which is directed at the\nHighland Indian farmer. The Minister of Finance has indi-\ncated that the Guatemalan Government wishes to sign the loan\nagreement immediately. Our preliminary assessment is that\nessentially no restructuring will be necessary to ensure\nconcentration of resources where needed. Also, the Govern-\nment of Guatemala and A.I.D. signed in November 1975 a $7\nmillion rural primary education loan which included approx-\nimately $4.2 million for up-grading school buildings pri-\nmarily in the Highland area. Some reorientation of prior-\nities in this program will likely be required in terms of\nschool site selection, but, essentially, this loan is\navailable to assist in the rehabilitation and reconstruction\neffort. Also, additional U.S. Government support, through\nthe U.S. International Disaster Assistance Authority, for\nthe early rehabilitation effort is being considered, pending\nfurther assessment of identified needs. The assessment is\nalready underway and will require continuing close coor-\ndination with the government, other donor nations, and\ninternational organizations. Only until we know more of the\nnature and substance of the international and Guatemalan\nGovernment's national response can we establish our own\npriorities and clarify possible additional funding require-\nments.\nU.S. voluntary agencies possess large capabilities, unique\nto each voluntary agency, which can play an important role\nin the rehabilitation phase. They are on the ground with\nestablished delivery systems which can meet the needs of\nmany disaster victims without further straining government\ncapacity. We hope that this capacity will continue to be\nutilized in the post-relief phases.\nFORD\n?\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 13 -\nOver the next months, we anticipate that the Guatemalan\nGovernment's planning process will identify specific, longer-\nrun needs which could appropriately be met through A.I.D.\ndevelopment loans and grants and which would clearly be\nconsistent with congressional mandate criteria for develop-\nment assistance. We should seek to be responsive within the\nmeans that may be made available through the appropriation\nprocess.\n2. External Assistance from Other Sources\nFor the post-emergency relief phase, I believe that the\nmajor burden of external assistance can be carried by the\nmultilateral agencies, particularly the International Bank\nfor Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the Inter-\nAmerican Development Bank (IDB). The major requirements for\nshelter and urban reconstruction, generally, as well as more\npermanent restoration of infrastructure (roads, bridges,\nrailroads, and ports), may well find substantial financing\nthrough these multilateral channels to supplement Guatemalan\nresources. It is interesting to note that only last month\nthe Inter-American Development Bank provided $135 million in\nloans for Guatemala (more than that country has had in total\nduring the previous fifteen years of the Bank's existence).\nPortions of these may be redirected as a result of the\ndisaster. Both financial institutions are already planning\ntheir active involvement. An IDB team has already been to\nGuatemala and a World Bank team is being dispatched shortly.\n3. Coordination\nLeadership in the coordination of the rehabilitation and\nreconstruction efforts has to come from the Guatemalans.\nThey know it. With the support of ourselves and the many\nothers interested in helping Guatemala, they can well perform\nthe task. We anticipate that a consultative arrangement\namong donors and lenders will develop to insure a maximum,\ncoordinated effort.\nV. Contingency Planning for Possible Future Disasters\nEven now, the Government of Guatemala must significantly\nstrengthen its contingency planning for future disasters.\nRegrettably, the possibility cannot be ruled out that Guate-\nmala, much of which is located along the long east-west\nMotaqua Fault, may still face other quakes.\nThe U.S. Government can provide technical assistance to\nthe Guatemalans for contingency planning. We plan to help\nGuatemala lay out the various options it may have for\nFUND\na\nGERALD\n- 14 -\nresponding to any future natural disasters. We feel that\nmore can be done to help the Guatemalan Government not to be\ntaken by total surprise in the event of another major disaster.\nFor example, United States Geologic Survey Geologists are\nnow monitoring the tensions of the fault line which runs\nnear Guatemala City. The tension has not yet abated fully\nand, with sophisticated monitoring devices, we may be able\nto provide the Guatemalan Government with some forewarning\nof another major earthquake.\nBecause the terrain of this country has changed significantly\nin some areas, we are alerting the Guatemalan Government to\nthe concern that flooding of abnormal proportions may occur\nthis year. Members of the U.S. Army Engineering Survey Team\nare making assessments of some possible waterways that may\ncause flooding damage to the already-disrupted major highway\nto the sea.\nMr. President, the government and the people of Guatemala\nhave responded well to the aftermath of the disaster.\nCertainly, there were and, indeed are, problems of coor-\ndination and maximum effective use of domestic and foreign\nresources; but the consensus of experienced observers is\nthat the Guatemalan effort, given the enormity of its tasks,\nhas responded well. They merit the continuing help from the\nUnited States and others.\nPresident Laugerud asked that I convey to you, on behalf of\nhimself and his people, the deepest appreciation for your\npersonal interest and support. He stressed that it was not\nonly the important technical and material assistance being\nprovided by the U.S. Government and people but also the\nmoral encouragement and bolstering derived by his government\nand the Guatemalan people from the spirit and timeliness of\nthat support. He emphasized, too, his recognition that\nGuatemala itself must bear the major burden of the present\nand continuing costs of the disaster and that the nature and\nextent of its self-help measures will help determine the\nnature and extent of external support.\nI wish also to commend to you all elements of the U.S.\ncountry team. Under the active leadership of Ambassador\nMeloy, they continue to devote themselves on a round-the-\nclock basis. I believe all the people of the United States\nmay be proud of the U.S. role in helping the Guatemalan\npeople in the traumatic aftermath of a major disaster.\nFORD\n&\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\n- 15 -\nWhile many other nations and organizations responded quickly\nwith supplies and personnel, the U.S. response, both public\nand private, was critical in averting a serious worsening of\nthe crisis.\nIn making the trip to Guatemala, I was joined by two con-\ngressional staff members, Ms. Herschelle Challenor of the\nHouse International Relations Subcommittee on International\nResources, Food and Energy, and Mr. Richard McCall legis-\nlative assistant to Senator Gale McGee, Chairman, Senate\nForeign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Affairs.\nI am grateful for their participation. Mr. Herman Kleine,\nmy Assistant Administrator for Latin America, and Major\nMarshall N. Carter, USMC, a White House Fellow serving as my\nspecial assistant, also accompanied me. Their support is\ngreatly appreciated.\nDaniel Parker\nAttachments:\nA - Third Country Donor Assistance\nB - International Organizations Assistance\nC . Voluntary Agency Assistance\nGERALD ? FORD\nTHIRD COUNTRY DONOR ASSISTANCE as of February 15, 1976\nThe Office of Foreign Disaster Relief Coordination has reports of\nthe following contributions in cash or kind from third country donors.\nArgentina\nfield hospital w/medical team\nBelgium\n30,000 lbs.\nRed Cross supplies\nBrazil\n45,000 lbs.\nfood and medical supplies\nCanada\n24,000 lbs.\nmilk\n35,000 lbs.\nfood\n75,000 lbs.\nmilk ($160,000)\nblankets ($300,000)\nCash, Embassy\n($15,000)\nCash, Red Cross\n($100,000)\nColombia\n23,800 lbs.\nmedical supplies\n18,600 lbs.\nfood\nCosta Rica\n8,000 lbs.\nhospital supplies\ndoctors, nurses\n4,740 lbs.\nmedical supplies, food\n4,000 lbs.\nplaster\nDominican Republic\n5 doctors\n22,000 lbs.\nmedicines and food\nEcuador\n7,000 lbs.\nmedical supplies\n7,000 lbs.\nfood\nFrance\ncash ($11,260)\nGermany, FRG\n80,000 lbs.\nmedical supplies\nHaiti\n7,230 lbs.\nfood\nHonduras\n9,000 lbs.\nfood\ntents\n26,000 lbs.\nmedical supplies\n19,000 lbs.\nfood and other supplies\nIsrael\n4,000\nblankets\n26,000 lbs.\nfood and medical supplies\nItaly\nCash\n(15 million lira)\n(US$22,000)\nGERALD ? LIBRARY FORD\n2.\nMexico\n12,000 lbs.\nmedicines and food\n5 doctors\n200 tons\nfood per day by truck\n10,000 lbs.\nmeat and medicines\n17,240 lbs.\nfood and medicines\n10,000 lbs.\nmilk powder\n8,000 lbs.\nradio equipment, food & milk\n10,300 lbs.\nmedical supplies & food\n13,600 lbs.\nfood and medical supplies\n12,500 lbs.\nfood and medical supplies\n27,600 lbs.\nmattresses, food, clothes\n16,200 lbs.\nfood\n10,000 lbs.\nmedical supplies\nNew Zealand\nCORSO donated $2,500 to CRS\nNICARAGUA\nfield hospital completely staffed\n28,600 lbs.\nfood\n13,500 lbs.\nfood\n22,500 lbs.\nmedical supplies\n6,000 lbs.\ntents and rice\nNorway\nCash to Red Cross ($90,300)\nCash through VolAgs ($57,800)\nPanama\n18,000 lbs.\nmedicines\nmedical team, plasma, medicines, food & blankets\n16,000 lbs.\nfood, hospital supplies\n6,000 lbs.\nfood\n4,000 lbs.\nmedical supplies\nPeru\nmedicine, food and blankets\nSpain\nmedicine & supplies ($250,000)\nSweden\nCash to Red Cross ($22,727)\nCash to UNDRO ($11,363)\nSwitzerland\nCash for shelters ($37,500)\nUnited Kingdom\n250 tents, blankets, sanitation equipment\nVenezuela\nField hospital, medicines, blankets, food,\nmilk, rescue team\n44,000 lbs.\nmedicines and food\n20,000 lbs.\nfood and medicine\n30,000 lbs.\nfood and medicine\n35,000 lbs.\nfood and medicine\nFORD\nGERALD a\nLIBRAHY\nVOLUNTARY AGENCY ASSISTANCE as of February 15, 1976\nThe following is a list of the Volunteer Agencies and information on\ntheir activities as currently known:\nBaptist World Alliance\nCash\n$2,000\nCARE\n9 mil. lbs.\nTitle II food\n5000\nblankets\n95\nfirst aid kits\nmiscellaneous medicines\nCatholic Relief Services -\nUnited States Catholic\nConference\nCash\n$10,000\n16 1/2 tons\nshelter material,\nblankets, emergency\nkits, tools, clothing\n(additional 30 tons\nbeing shipped by air)\nChurch World Service\n4 truck loads\nrelief supplies\n10,000\nblankets\nDavid Livingston Foundation\nspecifics unknown\nFood for the Hungry\nspecifics unknown\nLutheran World Service\nCash\n$20,000\n5,000\nblankets\nMedical Assistance Program\nspecifics unknown\nSupport for Instituto Evangelico\nmedical supplies\nSalvation Army\n1,000 lbs.\npowdered milk\n1,000 lbs.\nmiscellaneous\nmedical supplies\nOn Order:\n60,000 lbs.\ncanned food\n$10,000\nmedical supplies\nSeventh Day Adventists\nWorld Service\n40,000 lbs.\nfood\n2,000 lbs.\nmedicine\n3,000 lbs.\nblankets\n5,000 lbs.\nclothing\n200\ntents\n(have medical team in Tecpan)\nGERAND & FORD\nINTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ASSISTANCE - - as of February 15, 1976\nRelief assistance from International Organizations has been reported\nto date as follows:\nCASH CONTRIBUTIONS\nUS Dollars\n1. ORGANIZATIONS OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS)\nCash for the purchase of roofing\nmaterials, medical supplies and\nother commodities\n$700,000\n2. LEAGUE OF RED CROSS SOCIETIES (LICROSS)\nContributions of goods and cash\nfrom National Societies\n1,500,000\n3. EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (EEC)\nCash donation\n250,000\n4. PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION (PAHO)\nCash donation\n50,000\n5. UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM\n1,180,936\nA. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)\nCash donation\n100,000\nB. WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP)\nFood for Work allocation\n985,936\nC. UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL\nCHILDRENS FUND (UNICEF)\nCash donation\n75,000\nD. UNITED NATIONS DISASTER RELIEF\nORGANIZATION (UNDRO) THROUGH\nUNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT\nPROGRAMME (UNDP)\n20,000\nTOTAL INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS\n$ 3,680,936\nOTHER CONTRIBUTIONS\nPAN AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION\n6 ea. packaged disaster\nhospitals\n(Three states, Alabama (through the Alabama Partners - Partner of\nGuatemala), South Carolina and Oregon have contributed 2 hospitals each.)\nGERALD A FORD LIBRARY\n2.\nSeventh Day Adventists\nOn Order:\nWorld Service (continued)\n50,000 lbs.\ncorn\n50,000 lbs.\nbeans\n50,000 lbs.\nrice\n16,000 lbs.\nmedicine\n100 bed\nhospital\n5,000\nblankets\n1,000\ntents\nWorking in: Guatemala City\nand 4 outlying towns.\nSouthern Baptist Convention\nForeign Mission Board\ncash\n$25,000\n270\ntents\n250\nsleeping bags\nWorld Neighbors, Inc.\nSupport of 23 medical personnel from\nU. of Miami in Cooperation with Save\nthe Children Foundation\nWorld Relief Commission\ncash\n$35,000\nWorld Vision International\ncash\n$15,000\nAmerican National Red Cross\ncash\n$100,000\n3,400\ntents\n5,000\nblankets\n1,000\ncots\n20,000 lbs.\nmedical supplies\n60,000 lbs.\nfood\nOn Order:\n3,000\ntents\n6\n3/4 ton pickups\n5\nambulances\nWorking in: Zones 3 and 6\nGuatemala City and 6\noutlying towns\nChristian Aid\n30,000 lbs.\nfood\nHelp the Aged\n10,000\nblankets\n5,000 lbs.\nfood\nBritish\nRed Cross\n22 tons\nmedicine\nMormon Mission\n$5,000\nfood\n6,000 lbs.\nblankets & tents\n500 lbs.\nclothing\n500 lbs.\nmedical supplies\nFORD\n?\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nMEETING WITH DANIEL PARKER FOR\nREPORT ON HIS TRIP TO GUATEMALA\nMonday, February 16, 1976\n11: 30 a.m. (15 minutes)\nThe Oval Office\nFrom: Brent Scowcroft\nI.\nPURPOSE\nTo receive Dan Parker's firsthand report on the situation in\nGuatemala after his visit there last week as your emissary.\nII.\nBACKGROUND, PARTICIPANTS & PRESS ARRANGEMENTS\nA. Background: Last Wednesday, February 11, Ron Nessen\nannounced that you had asked Dan Parker to go to Guatemala\nto survey the situation and report back to you about it and\nthe progress of our relief efforts there. He left early Thursday\nmorning and returned Friday night. The highlights of his conclu-\nsions are as follows:\nThe loss in Guatemala was essentially a personal one: of\nhuman life and housing, as distinct from the recent Honduras\ntyphoon where the country's economic capacity was badly\ndamaged. This was a rural disaster primarily affecting the\npoor because of the construction of the houses.\nFollowing the first shock and trauma of the earthquake, the\nGuatemalan people and Government have begun to pull them-\nselves together and are now responding with vigor. They are\ncompleting the process of sorting out the rubble and some rebuilding\nhas begun.\nThe U.S. relief effort has been impressive and reassuring. Our\nhelp was timely and effective. In many cases our helicopters were\nthe first help received by isolated towns and villages. Now other\nhelp is beginning to come in, particularly from Central America.\nGERALD ? LIBRARY FORD\n2\nThe productivity of the economy in Guatemala has not been badly\ndamaged but it will be strained by the added burden placed upon\nit. The government has decided not to sacrifice its development\neffort for the demands of relief and rehabilitation. What is needed\nis help to permit the Guatemalans to help themselves. It is particu-\nlarly urgent to move promptly because of the expected onset of the\nrainy season in mid-May which will last until November. Not only\nis housing needed, but the roads must be cleared and repaired or\nthey will be further damaged by the rains.\nTremors are apparently continuing and Parker will want to\ndiscuss some further information on this subject with you.\nParker is planning to brief the Senate Foreign Relations Committee\nthis afternoon.\nB. Participants:\nDaniel Parker, Administrator of AID and\nSpecial Coordinator for International Disaster\nAssistance;\nHerman Kleine, Deputy AID Administrator for\nLatin America;\nMajor Marshall Carter, USMC, White House Fellow;\nBrent Scowcroft\nC. Press Arrangements: Press photo session. Meeting to be announced.\nIII.\nTALKING POINTS:\n1. I want to thank you for responding so promptly to my request to go\nto Guatemala and examine the situation there and our efforts to relieve\nthe human suffering.\n2. What were the impressions you received?\n3. I am impressed at the prompt and effective response to this tragedy\non the part of both public and private organizations in this country.\n4. We should continue our assistance, trying to help the Guatemalans\nhelp themselves.\nPORD LIBRARY &\n3\n5. I think we should take this occasion, too, to examine the broader\nquestion of our response to disasters of this kind. We will\nundoubtedly be called upon again to respond to future disasters.\nTherefore, as soon as the immediate crisis is over I would like\nyou to examine how we can strengthen our capacity to deal with\nthis kind of thing:\n(a) to take a look at how we can be best prepared for quick\nassessments and prepackaged assistance\n(b) to examine how we are coordinating our efforts with state\nand local governments and private organizations involved\nin disaster relief\n(c) finally, to see whether we can do more in terms of disaster\nprediction and preparation for it by more sturdy building.\nFORD LIBRARY & GERALD\nLow 3\nDOC\nRECD\nLOG NBR\nINITIAL ACTION O\nNSC CORRESPONDENCE PROFILE\nDA\nMO\nDA\nHR\nLinder FROM: KISSINGER, R MO\n23\n2\n26\n16\n7601151\nREFERENCE:\nCIRCLE AS APPROPRIATE\nTO PRES\nS/S\nUNCLAS LOG IN/OUT\nKISSINGER\nCOLBY, W\nOTHER\nLOU\nNO FORN\nNODIS\nSOURCE CLASS DESCRIPTION\nSCOWCROFT\n+\nSCHLESINGER, J\nC\nEYES ONLY EXDIS\nDAVIS\nST EX SEC\nS\nCODEWORD\nSUBJECT S. Res 390 re the Suatemales TS Earth SENSITIVE\nRes INTERNAL Langered ROUTING AND DISTRIBUTION ACTION Sarcia INFO REC FOR CY ACTION MEMO FOR of REQUIRED HAK Justemala (\nfor Justher disturber for\nADVANCE\nCYS\nTO\nHAK/SCOWCROFT\n)\nSTAFF SECRETARY\nMEMO FOR PRES\n)\nREPLY FOR\nFAR EAST\n(\nAPPROPRIATE ACTION\n(\nSUB-SAHARAN AFRICA\nto\nDISTRIBUTION INITIAL ACTION ASGMT\nMID EAST / NO. AFRICA / so. ASIA\nMEMO\nTO\n(\n)\n(\nEUROPE / CANADA\nRECOMMENDATIONS\n)\nLATIN AMERICA\n+\nJOINT MEMO\n(\nREFER TO\nFOR:\n(\n)\nUNITED NATIONS\nANY ACTION NECESSARY?\n(\nECONOMIC\n)\nSCIENTIFIC\nCONCURRENCE\n(\nPROGRAM ANALYSIS\nDUE DATE:\n3-4\nNSC PLANNING\nCOMMENTS: (INCLUDING SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS)\nCONGRESSIONAL\n+\nOCEANS POLICY\nINTELLIGENCE\nDATE\nFROM\nTO\nS\nSUBSEQUENT ACTION REQUIRED\n(OR TAKEN): fill Guat CY TO\nSUBSEQUENT ROUTING ACTIONS\nDISPATCH\nLIBRABILITY\nCY RQMTS: SEE ABOVE PLUS:\nMICROFILM & FILE RQMTS\nNSC S DISP INSTR\nNOTIFY\n& DATE\nBY\nM/F'D\nBY\nSPI CIAL DISPOSITION:\nCRT ID:\nSA\nSF\nCHO55 REF W/\nOPEN\nHP\nNS\nSUSPENSE CY ATTACHED:\nFOLDER:\nCLOSE\nWH\nEP\nPA\nDY\n/NSC 75-221\nMEMORANDUM\nstaff\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\n1151\nWASHINGTON\nFebruary 23, 1976\nMEMORANDUM FOR:\nBRENT SCOW CROFT\nFROM:\nBOB LINDER Lind\nAttached is a copy of S. Res. 390, transmitted to the President\nby a letter from the Secretary of the Senate. I am forwarding these\nitems to you for appropriate handling in accordance with Section 3\nof the resolution.\nAttachment\nGERALD LIBRARY ? FORD\nFRANCIS R. VALEO\nSECRETARY\nUNITED STATES SENATE\nWASHINGTON\nFebruary 19, 1976.\nMFmel\nThe President,\nThe White House,\nWashington, D. C.\nDear Mr. President:\nI am forwarding herewith,\nfor your interest, a copy of Senate Resolution\n390. adopted by the Senate on February 17, 1976.\nRespectfully yours,\n7- R. Vales\nFrancis R. Valeo,\nSecretary of the Senate.\nEnclosure:\nS. Res. 390.\nFORD\n&\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\nS.Res.390\nIn the Senate of the United States,\nFebruary 17, 1976.\nWhereas the people of our sister Republic, Guatemala, suffered\na devastating blow as the result of the recent earthquakes and\ntremors in February 1976; and\nWhereas these quakes and tremors caused the loss of thousands of\nlives and the destruction or devastation of many towns and\nvillages, rendering homeless many thousands of people; and\nWhereas the people and Government of the United States, in\naccord with the traditions of the United States, are anxious to\nassist the people of Guatemala in their tragic hour of bereave-\nment and suffering; and\nWhereas the task of relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction\nwhich faces Guatemala is huge, requiring outside support and\nassistance beyond the present emergency requirements:\nNow, therefore, be it\nResolved, That the Senate extend its deepest sympathy to the\nPresident and to the people of Guatemala in this dark hour of\ntheir suffering and distress.\nFORD\na\nSEC. 2. It is the sense of the Senate that the executive branch\nGERALD\nLIBRARY\nof the United States Government be urged to develop, in coopera-\ntion with other potential donors in and outside of the Western\n2\nHemisphere, both governmental and private, programs to assist\nthe people of Guatemala in their efforts to relieve the suffering\ncaused by the disaster and to rehabilitate their nation from the\ndamage inflicted.\nSEC. 3. Copies of the present resolution shall be distributed\nthrough appropriate channels to the President of Guatemala.\nAttest:\n7 R. Vales\nSecretary.\nGERALD \" LLBRARY , ORD"
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