October 31, 2007

At least 59 people have died from Tropical Storm Noel, a slow-moving storm that has affected a number of Caribbean countries, particularly the Dominican Republic, where at least 41 have been killed and nearly 40 others are reported missing, according to the AFP news agency -- though other reports say at least 50 people have already died.

The unusually high death toll from a tropical storm is due to Noel's heavy rains that have resulted in severe flooding. Serious damage is also reported in neighboring Haiti.

Tropical Storm Noel, said Lorenzo Mota King, director of long-time CWS partner Social Service of Dominican Churches (SSID), has been the most catastrophic disaster of recent years, not necessarily by the devastating forces of the winds, but by its ample range, high volume of water by the heavy rainfall, and its slowness in moving across the island.

Mota King also reports: Hundreds of people are missing and still unaccounted for; hundreds of houses have been dragged by the surging waters; serious damages have impacted the agriculture sector; almost 80 percent of the electrical supply is out of service for the island; the telephone systems interrupted, bridges and major roadways destroyed -- all making communication between the capital city of Santo Domingo and the southern region of El Cibao extremely difficult.

RESPONSE: SSID regional teams are already assessing damage and planning for a response that will be supported by Church World Service. Support might include material aid assistance if requested.

Media Contact: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net