Bonn/Puerto Cabezas, 5.9.2007. Thanks to Nicaragua's national system of disaster prevention and civil defence, many people have been able to save themselves from hurricane "Felix". This was reported by staff of Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (German Agro Action) in Puerto Cabezas. "By the time the hurricane hit the coast, large areas had already been evacuated," said Head of Project Rudolf Schwarz. Nevertheless, damage is so extensive that Nicaragua has declared a state of emergency and appealed for international aid. According to initial reports, around 5000 houses have been destroyed.

An initial survey of damage has revealed that a large part of the low-lying district of Puerto Cabezas has been flooded. "This is where very poor people live. They moved here from the country in the hope of finding work," says Schwarz. "Many of them were unable to get to safer areas."

According to Schwarz, the hurricane has downed trees, shattered windows, destroyed power supply lines and torn roofs off buildings. Some houses have lost entire sea-facing walls. "The biggest problem in the next few days will be drinking water supplies because many wells are contaminated," warns Schwarz.

Welthungerhilfe has not yet received news from the hurricane-stricken project areas north of Puerto Cabezas. Roads there are still impassable and the telephone network is disrupted. The relief organisation runs projects in the region to secure food supplies for indigenous people, mainly in Miskito.

Welthungerhilfe has been in Nicaragua since hurricane "Mitch" struck in 1998. Apart from food security measures, it carries out disaster prevention projects. "Many regions are very difficult to reach. The principle of helping people help themselves is particularly important here," says Schwarz. Villagers have been taught how to develop emergency plans, train rescue teams and provide emergency shelter. They have been given solar-run radio equipment and first-aid courses.

For further information see www.welthungerhilfe.de