Lutherans Assess Needs In Caribbean After Tropical Storm Jeanne

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The situation in Haiti is "extremely tough
and confusing," according to Michael Kuehn, director of the
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) program in Haiti. Tropical Strom
Jeanne -- now Hurricane Jeanne -- devastated Puerto Rico and the
U. S. Virgin Islands before striking the Dominican Republic and
Haiti Sept. 16-17.
In Haiti "the greatest need is for food, water, medicine and
trauma healing," Kuehn reported on Sept. 24. "But, it's all
difficult to achieve. There is looting, and security concerns
remain. Water and food can be procured, but getting it to where
it's needed is difficult. We are looking to use local churches
in which to set up very localized distribution centers," he said.
Tropical Storm Jeanne produced heavy rains and "raging flood
waters" that have caused "extensive flooding" on the northern
area of Hispaniola, which comprises the Dominican Republic and
Haiti, reported the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for
leadership development and mission personnel recruitment, ELCA
Division for Global Mission.
"Due to extensive deforestation, the worst affected country
was Haiti, where two days of lashing rains caused massive
flooding in more than half of the country. United Nations
sources report 1,113 bodies had been recovered in Haiti's
northwest province, with the vast majority of victims in the port
city of Gonaives. One thousand people are still missing and
300,000 people were left homeless," Ishida said. "The northern
part of Haiti was described by the Prime Minister as a 'vast sea'
when he visited the area on Sept. 19."
"According to the Dominican Red Cross, four people lost
their lives and 13,216 people have been seriously affected by the
winds and flooding in the Dominican Republic," Ishida said.
LWF and Action by Churches Together (ACT) continue to assess
the situation. They report that access to many of the affected
areas is only possible by air, as everything is under water, said
Ishida.
ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies
that meets human need through organized emergency response. It
is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and LWF, both
in Geneva, Switzerland. The ELCA is a member of WCC and LWF.

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