SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (November 3, 2007)  Tropical Storm Noel hit the island of Hispaniola on October 29, flooding the island with 30 inches of rain last weekend. Noel, since upgraded to hurricane status, is predicted to affect weather patterns for several days. In response, Direct Relief has reached out to partners on the island, in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti, with offers of medical material assistance to support victims of Noel.

Partner organizations MOSCTHA in the Dominican Republic and Justinien Hospital in Haiti have requested emergency assistance, which Direct Relief expects to expedite by the end of the week.

MOSCTHA, a nonprofit based in the Dominican Republic that focuses on supporting the community of migrant Haitian workers in the country, has been reaching out to residents of the bateyes - towns inhabited primarily by sugar workers - around the capital city of Santo Domingo. MOSCTHA was able to alert many of these communities of the impending storm, though many were still severely affected by the rains. The organization is now seeking medical supplies and pharmaceuticals to assist those who have been left destitute by the storm. MOSCTHA is providing services from their new clinic in Santo Domingo and operates a mobile medical van for outreach to those affected in outlying areas.

The Justinien Hospital, located in Haiti's second largest city of Cap-Haitien, is a 300-bed public, regional hospital that serves the entire northern part of the country. The hospital is providing services to the many displaced people in northern Haiti and greatly needs more medicines to provide adequate health services to this population.

According to the latest report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 54 people have been reported dead, 21 missing, and more than 51,000 displaced by Noel. In addition, 41 communities remain inaccessible due to rivers that have overflowed. Thousands of houses have been flooded since Monday; some 3,000 people were left homeless. In many areas, bridges, roads, and houses were completely destroyed. The agricultural industry, the island's main economic driver, suffered severe damage in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Haitian Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis announced on October 30 that $1.5 million has been set aside to assist storm victims. Dominican President Leonel Fernandez convened an emergency cabinet meeting and announced a $3 million relief package for storm victims. Many people are missing in both countries, and it is feared the number of fatalities will continue to rise.

Direct Relief will continue to monitor the situation and fulfill the needs of its partners for the response to the flooding, as well as for ongoing needs for health resources.

About Direct Relief International
Founded in 1948, Direct Relief International is a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of life by bringing critically needed medicines and supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide. Direct Relief is one of two charities ranked by Forbes that has received a perfect fundraising efficiency score for five consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.DirectRelief.org.

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