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A relative of 15 fishermen who have been missing since Hurricane Felix hit Puerto Cabezas is comforted as she weeps near the harbour in Puerto Cabezas September 5, 2007.
REUTERS/Oswaldo Rivas/courtesy www.alertnet.org
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Response to Hurricane Felix
Overview
Soon after making landfall on Nicaragua’s Miskitos Coast as a category 5 storm on September 4, Felix was downgraded to a tropical depression. Nevertheless, the heavy rains produced flash flooding, landslides and mudslides, and isolated villages in the water-logged mountainous regions of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
According to early estimates, in Nicaragua, at least 40 people were killed and nearly 35,000 people have been affected by the storm, which ripped roofs off of houses and left a trail of debris in its wake. The Nicaraguan Red Cross worked closely with local authorities to help evacuate more than 13,500 people and to pre-position relief supplies, helping to prevent more casualties.
In Honduras, numerous towns were cut off due to downed communication lines and roads covered by landslides. Flooding continues to be a risk in areas of El Salvador and Guatemala, where river levels are running much higher than normal.
In August, Hurricane Dean killed nearly 30 people in the Caribbean and Mexico. According to news sources, this was the first time on record that two Atlantic hurricanes made landfall as category 5 storms in one season.
(Last updated: September 7, 2007)
The American Red Cross Response
The American Red Cross is closely monitoring the situation through staff members in El Salvador and Panama and with local Red Cross partners in the affected countries. If requested, the American Red Cross is prepared to provide support, including trained workers, supplies, or financial contributions.
The American Red Cross stocks disaster relief supplies – like tarps, blankets, hygiene kits and jerry cans (for clean water) -- in a warehouse in Panama. We can transport them anywhere in Latin America or the Caribbean within hours of a disaster if necessary.
International Red Cross Response
The Nicaraguan Red Cross (NRC) is coordinating with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health and is providing direct support to the evacuation activities in affected areas, such as Puerto Cabezas and La Bocana. Trained relief workers and volunteers of the NRC local branch in Puerto Cabezas are responding to the emergency, supporting activities such as search and rescue, information dissemination and needs assessments. The Nicaraguan Red Cross is also working with search and rescue teams from the Costa Rica Red Cross Society to carry out relief operations in the affected areas of Nicaragua.
Local branches of the Honduran Red Cross are in a state of alert and are coordinating with the government agencies. Regional warehouses have been created to simplify an emergency first response, as needed.
Red Cross societies in Guatemala, Belize and El Salvador remain on alert and stand prepared to take action as necessary.
Representatives and disaster management delegates from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation), based in Panama, are assisting relief efforts in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Belize. The International Federation immediately released approximately $166,000 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to meet immediate needs in the region.
How to Get Help
If are in need of emergency shelter, water or food, please contact your local American Red Cross chapter for assistance.
Finding Missing Loved Ones
The Red Cross Societies in countries affected by Hurricane Felix are still fully engaged in emergency relief operations and have not indicated their capacity to accept disaster welfare inquiries. For inquiries about relatives living in hurricane-affected areas who are not U.S. citizens, encourage the members of your community to keep calling or try contacting other family members who live nearby. Inquiries concerning U.S. citizens living or traveling in the Caribbean should be referred to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Service, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.
Before disaster strikes, take time to create a family communications plan and complete an emergency contact card for all family members. Planning ahead is the best way to stay connected when disaster strikes. However, if you are separated from or cannot locate loved ones in the aftermath of a disaster, the Safe and Well List Web site also can be used as a resource when normal communications are disrupted.
How to Support the Relief Efforts
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Donate to the International Response Fund |
You can help those affected by countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.
To make a donation: |
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Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) |
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Make a secure, online donation. |
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Contact your local Red Cross chapter |
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Mail a Donation |
The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate a donation for a specific disaster, please do so at the time of donation.
NOTE: The Red Cross has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for its effective use of donations. |
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Become A Volunteer |
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Contact your local Red Cross chapter regarding local opportunities to help at home, or visit VolunteerMatch to become a Red Cross volunteer. Well-meaning individuals are urged not to report directly to the affected areas. |
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Find your local Red Cross chapter |
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Visit VolunteerMatch.org |
Promote the Red Cross |
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Support the American Red Cross by hosting an online advertisement/public service banner on your Web site encouraging others to make a financial donation. |
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Sign up to host an online advertisement/public service banner |
About Donations of Goods or Collected Items
Unsolicited, spontaneous donations of goods and services from individuals and community groups, though well intentioned, have hidden costs and pose a number of complications for relief efforts. For these reasons, the Red Cross is not able to accept any large collections of items, such as used clothing, hygiene items, furniture, toys, and canned goods. Nor are we able to accept small, individual donations of these items.
If you represent a company wishing to offer supplies in bulk, please contact your local Red Cross chapter.
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Read more About Collections of Goods and Individual Items |
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Find your Local Red Cross Chapter |
Inquiries Media or Public
Please visit the American Red Cross Press Room on Redcross.org for the latest press releases, media advisories or statements, links to available news photos, video and public service announcements. |
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Visit the Press Room on Redcross.org |
Medial Requests ONLY |
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NATIONAL Requests: Call Disaster Public Affairs at 202-303-5551 |
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LOCAL Requests: Find and contact the closest Red Cross Chapter |
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Public requests, including private citizen, business, or student: |
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Visit the Contact Us page. |
Additional Resources
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