Silver Spring, Maryland—--Following the recent outbreak of fighting in Georgia, in the eastern European Caucasus region near the Black Sea, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is preparing to respond to the needs of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled the violence. Already more than 2,000 people have died in the first week of fighting and nearly 100,000 have been uprooted from their homes, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The latest conflict, which has been centered in the South Ossetia region and has involved troops from the countries of Georgia and Russia, caused widespread destruction as a result of air strikes and shelling. This has created a humanitarian crisis, particularly in Tskhinvali, South Ossetia's regional capital, and in nearby Gori, home to thousands who fled to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, located 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the southeast.

"The situation on the ground is deteriorating, sparking a significant movement of population," said Elisabeth Byrs of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Meanwhile, ADRA is coordinating relief efforts with UN agencies and international non-governmental organizations in order to address the current emergency situation. In Tbilisi, where a rapid influx of displaced persons fleeing the fighting has strained the city's food supply, medical, and shelter capacities, ADRA plans to provide medical assistance to those affected.

Approximately 56,000 displaced persons are currently inside Georgia, according to the UN, of which more than 40,000 are from Gori. An additional 12,000 residents of South Ossetia have been left homeless inside Georgia, while 30,000 others have crossed into Russia's North Ossetia region. The UN also reports that 1,000 ethnic Georgians from the upper Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia, a region by the Black Sea that borders Russia, have become displaced following violence there. Because many areas under conflict remain inaccessible, the number of IDPs is expected to rise. Food, water, shelter, and medical supplies are becoming difficult to find, intensifying an already difficult situation for local residents.

For the past eight years, ADRA Georgia has worked in the South Ossetia region, implementing health projects from its local office in Tskhinvali.

Updates will be released as ADRA's response efforts expand.

To send your contribution to ADRA's Emergency Response Fund, please contact ADRA at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or give online at www.adra.org

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and emergency management without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.

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Author: Nadia McGill

Media Contact: Hearly Mayr Director for Public Awareness ADRA International 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 Phone: 301.680.6376 E-mail: Media.Inquiries@adra.org