4 September 2008

As Hurricane Hanna devastates the Caribbean, and with Hurricane Ike poised to do the same, the British Red Cross has launched an appeal to support thousands forced to flee their homes and in vital need of emergency aid.

Parts of Haiti remain submerged in water and at least 170 people have been killed from the combined impacts of Hurricane Gustav, which slammed into Haiti on 26 August, and Tropical Storm Hanna, which hit on 1 September. At least 650,000 people have been affected and many people are stranded on rooftops. Lives remain at risk from flooding and mud slides.

The British Red Cross appeal will help provide life-saving food, clothing and shelter to 7,000 affected families in Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba. It supports the appeal launched yesterday by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.  The numbers of families to be assisted by the Red Cross is forecast to increase substantially as Red Cross emergency teams reach the northern parts of Haiti, hit hard by Tropical Storm Hanna.

Hurricane Hanna

The Haitian National Red Cross Society (HNRCS) is working with local authorities to co-ordinate relief activities. Airports, seaports and public offices have been closed and the government has opened 76 emergency shelters.

More than 370 HNRCS volunteers performed early warning activities using megaphones and helping people to evacuate. Local Red Cross branches have distributed food and non-food items and 250 emergency response team members have been mobilised. The Federation contributed USD 23,800 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to support the HNRCS in relief and assessment activities.

Hurricane Hanna also hit the Turks and Caicos Islands as a category 1 hurricane on Monday, where volunteers from the British Red Cross Overseas Branch there have spent the past week helping those affected and preparing for Hurricane Ike to hit this weekend.

Turks and Caicos

Clive Evans, operations director for Overseas Branches, is currently in Providenciales. He said: "There were torrents of rain and 100 mph winds. Unfortunately, the winds and rain have not let up for three days, even though Hanna has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.

"A lot of people here are very vulnerably housed, many living in shacks which have been completely destroyed or had the roofs torn off. Around 750 people are now homeless. Our volunteers have been supporting the shelters here with food, transporting people to hospital and handing out tarpaulins to help keep roofs on.

"We've seen many injuries from flying debris. People have also been running out of medications so we've been taking them to hospital to get more."

Hurricane Ike

The Red Cross is sending two disaster management specialists to the islands on 5 September to help co-ordinate the relief operation.

The next worry is Tropical Storm Ike, which is due to directly hit the islands as Hurricane Ike on Saturday. Clive said: "Airports have been shut for a couple of days and might only reopen on Friday. That will only give us one day to get relief supplies in here before Ike hits.

"It's a very frightening place right now. When the wind hits, it's like the roars of lions. But our volunteers are working hard to assist the most vulnerable."

Prepare for the unexpected

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