Jamaica and Haiti staff available for interview

Christian Aid staff and partner organisations are stepping up relief efforts, including clearing trees and other debris blocking roads in Jamaica and will also be providing relief to people in Haiti whose crops have been destroyed.

The category four storm brought winds of up 150 mph, which buffeted the Jamaican capital of Kingston throughout Sunday afternoon. Rhian Holder, Christian Aid's programme officer in Jamaica, described the scene yesterday as the storm moved in:

'It's very, very loud, the wind is roaring and shrieking. The trees are breaking, you're hearing branches snapping, you're hearing thuds, things falling, you're not sure what it is.' Today, she added: 'There is still no electricity across the island and communication is very difficult. In St Thomas, where one of our partners is based, the cell phone masts fell in a couple of areas, so it is very difficult to get through. The road to the airport in Kingston is blocked with trees, boulders and sand that have been blown across it.'

The torrential rain also caused mudslides north of Kingston and in the St Mary area on the island's north-east coast.

In Kingston, Christian Aid partners provided chainsaws for local residents to chop down potentially dangerous trees before the hurricane, to minimise the damage.

In the south west of Haiti, hundreds of farmers have seen their entire bean, plantain and yam crops destroyed. Christian Aid will be providing seedlings to help people replant.

Nick Guttman, Christian Aid's director of emergency response, was visiting Haiti when the hurricane struck.

He said: 'This is just the beginning of the hurricane season. We could see several more storms hit the Caribbean over the next few months. We are constantly working with local communities to help them prepare early evacuation plans and safeguard their homes.' Mr Guttman added that disaster mitigation training provided by partners had probably played a part in reducing damage.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. For further information or to arrange an interviews with staff in Jamaica and Haiti, please call Sarah Wilson on 0207 523 2277 or 07930 341 525.

2. For more details and how to donate, click on: www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies