The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies issued a stark warning that thousands left homeless and vulnerable after the impact of Hurricane Ivan can not wait indefinitely for greater assistance. The Red Cross has appealed for urgently needed funds to help the population affected by Ivan which has left at least 60 people dead and thousands homeless right across the Caribbean.

The International Federation today launched a revised appeal increased to six million Swiss francs to assist those affected by this hurricane. These funds will be essential to support the current and ongoing relief operations being carried out by the Red Cross Societies in Grenada, Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands branch of the British Red Cross. The appeal funds will be used to provide shelter materials, food, blankets, kitchen sets, hygiene articles and jerry cans to support 85,000 people over the next six months.

As we anticipated, since the day after the hurricane struck Grenada and we launched our preliminary appeal, the needs have significantly increased as Ivan progressed through the Caribbean", said Santiago Gil, head of the Federation's Americas department in Geneva.

Given the huge devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan there is a need for tents, plastic sheeting and tarpaulins to ensure temporary shelter and for zinc sheeting as well as construction tools to replace roofs which were ripped away. In Grenada, 90% of the houses have been damaged. Meanwhile in Jamaica there are still over 12,000 people in public shelters. According to preliminary assessments food and non-food supplies are urgently needed. In addition, electricity and clean drinking water have not been available in some of the hurricane devastated countries.

In Grenada, the most severely affected country so far, twelve people have died and some 60,000 people have been left homeless. Thousands more remain accommodated in temporary shelters. The International Federation?s operation in Grenada aims to support 50,000 people. In Jamaica, the National Red Cross Society will initially support at least 15,000 people who have lost their homes and possessions. In the Cayman Islands, the Federation seeks to assist 5,000 people through the distribution of relief goods to help them return to their homes. And in Cuba 15,000 people will be supported with non-food relief items and zinc sheeting to repair homes that suffered major damage, particularly in Isla de la Juventud and the Province of Pinar del Río.

Red Cross aircrafts carrying relief aid including blankets, hygiene kits, plastic sheeting, kitchen sets, generators and jerry cans continue to arrive in Jamaica, Grenada and the Cayman Islands to ensure that the distributions to affected families started early in the week continue.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

In Grenada: Solveig Olafsdottir, Information delegate Tel: +871762 737 943

In Cuba: Cristina Estrada, Information delegate Tel +537 269 0103

In Jamaica: Marko Kokic, Information delegate Tel: +1 876 466-6057

In Geneva: Eva M. Calvo, Media Officer Tel: + 41 22 730 43 57 / + 41 79 217 33 72

Duty phone: Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81