|
Caribbean Hurricane Appeal
There are many local residents in Kennington and Vauxhall whose
family and friends in the Caribbean have been adversely by the
Hurricane disaster there. RCDT is collecting money for the British
Red Cross Caribbean Hurricane Disaster Appeal.
Background
The
Caribbean was devastated by hurricanes and tropical storms, some of
the worst in ten years, in September. The storms left a trail of
destruction in their wake. Many people died or were injured, and
houses and buildings were completely destroyed or badly damaged.
One
of the worst hurricanes to strike the Caribbean was Hurricane Ivan.
·
In
Grenada, when the Hurricane hit on 7 September, at least 39 people
were killed and 90 per cent of homes were damaged. More than 60,000
people were made homeless, and 5,000 sought refuge in shelters. The
hurricane also affected the island’s water, electricity and
telephone services.
·
Hurricane Ivan passed just west of Jamaica on 11 September. At least
15 people were killed and there was extensive damage to roofs and
roads.
·
Cayman Islands was next, where winds of up to 240 kilometres per
hour flooded parts of Grand Cayman Island. Up to half of the
island’s 15,000 homes were affected. Most residents and visitors had
already been evacuated or relocated to shelters. About 90 per cent
of the homes and buildings in West Bay, the worst affected area on
Grand Cayman, were severely damaged or destroyed. The sewage system
also collapsed and a government shelter sustained severe damage.
·
Although Hurricane Ivan did not hit Cuba directly, it caused severe
damage to buildings and roads.
Tropical Storm Jeanne also caused widespread destruction in
countries such as Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
·
In
Haiti, over 1,800 people died and more than 800 people remain
missing.
·
Hardest hit was the city of Gonaïves where it is estimated that at
least half the population of 200,000 people were affected.
·
Homes
and possessions were swept away, sewers and latrines overflowed and
farmland was destroyed.
The
Red Cross response
The
British and other Red Crosses undertook emergency relief operations
and supports the local islands Red Crosses.
·
10,000 food parcels and 8,000 hygiene kits were distributed to
10,000 families.
·
20,000 tarpaulins to help families repair their damaged roofs.
·
Grenada: a seeds programme has started to help 450 small-scale
farmers, who lost their nutmeg crop in the hurricane, get back on
their feet by planting quick-growing fruit and vegetables.
·
Jamaica: distribution of relief goods and help to re-build homes.
·
Cayman Islands: distribution of relief goods and help to re-build
homes.
·
Haiti
Red distribution of food, water and other relief goods; recovery and
burial of bodies; hygiene kits. field hospital; water supply
British Red Cross response
The
British Red Cross’ Caribbean Hurricane Appeal, which was launched on
10 September, raised over £383,000. Money from the appeal has
provided urgently needed shelter materials and clean water for
people across the Caribbean, including people affected by Tropical
Storm Jeanne in Haiti. The British Red Cross has also released
£40,000 from its Disaster Fund to support the relief operation in
Haiti.
On-going Needs
The
work continues to re-build and this needs continuing financial
support.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Make
a donation on line directly to the British Red Cross Hurricane
Appeal –
www.redcross.org.uk/index.asp?id=37877.
Make
a donation via Riverside Community Development Trust: cash or cheque.
Fill out a Gift Aid Form if you are taxpayer.
Riverside Community Development Trust, 20 Newburn St, London, SE11
5PJ. Tel: 020 7926 2775. Email:
info@rcdt.org.
www.rcdt.org
_________________________________________________________________________________________
To:
Riverside Community Development Trust, 20 Newburn St, London, SE11
5PJ.
I
enclose cash/cheque for £ ________ as a donation to the British Red
Cross Caribbean Hurricane Appeal.
I
attach a Gift Aid Form made out to British Red Cross.
Name
& Address___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
|
