International Federation launches preliminary emergency appeal for victims of tropical storm Noel

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is launching a preliminary emergency appeal for nearly 800,000 Swiss francs (US$ 677,00/€ 470,000) to help people affected by Tropical Storm Noel, which has pounded the Dominican Republic and Haiti with high winds and torrential rains.

Mudslides and flooding have left more than 60 people dead in both countries and caused severe damage to infrastructure, including electrical lines, roads, bridges and thousands of homes.

According to the Dominican authorities, some 25,000 people are homeless. Noel remains an active tropical storm moving towards the Bahamas.

The funds will be used to provide 15,000 people (10,000 in the Dominican Republic and 5,000 in Haiti) with food, water, hygiene articles, kitchen sets, mosquito nets and tarpaulins, as well as psychological support, over the next six months.

Since the onset of the emergency, the Dominican Red Cross has mobilized some 500 volunteers to perform search and rescue activities, provide first aid and help assess needs and damages.

All Haitian Red Cross (HRC) volunteers in chapters located in the southern peninsula were mobilized. The HRC is also currently responding to the needs of people who were affected by Hurricane Dean.

A plane loaded with relief items for 2,000 families (including hygiene articles, kitchen sets, jerrycans, mosquito nets and tarpaulins) will depart from Panama today (1 Nov) for the Dominican Republic. The Haitian Red Cross is distributing prepositioned emergency relief supplies.

Several delegates from the Federation’s Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU), specialized in disaster management, telecommunications and logistics, have been deployed to the Dominican Republic to support Red Cross response and relief activities.

The head of the PADRU is also coordinating activities with the Dominican Red Cross and the Haitian Red Cross. Experts in disaster response from the Canadian Red Cross and the American Red Cross are working together with a disaster management delegate in Haiti.

The International Federation had already released 230,000 Swiss francs and 150,000 Swiss francs to provide immediate financial support to the Dominican Red Cross and Haitian Red Cross, respectively.

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

Allison Ali, Information Officer,
Caribbean Office Tel: + 1 868 688 2165