wfn.org | ADRA - Adventist Development & Relief Agency News

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

September 26, 1998
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland
98/SEPT/03-06

ADRA ASSISTS HAITI AS GEORGES MOVES ON
 
Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 26.09.1998 [ADRA/APD]   Adventist 
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) staff and volunteers 
are supplying relief support following Hurricane Georges 
wreckage to the northern coast of Haiti on Tuesday evening, 
September 22.

For two days ADRA has been distributing water to hurricane 
victims in seven shelters located in Port-au-Prince and as far 
south as Leogan, Soleil and Carrfour, which is near the ADRA 
Haiti office. Water distribution also began today in Cap 
Haitien. Immediately following the storm, there was a great 
need for clean water as many water systems were clogged by 
mud.

Dave Woods, ADRA Haiti regional co-ordinator, also joined an 
organised team today to fly above the north and central areas 
of Haiti to do rapid assessments of Georges' ruin. Storm winds 
blew tin roofs off homes and mudslides and flash floods 
damaged both homes and businesses.

"As damage assessments are finished, we will know more 
what the needs of the victims are," says Ian Ridley, ADRA 
Haiti director.

ADRA currently runs nutrition, agriculture, water and primary 
education programs in the north and north-east central parts 
of Haiti, targeting a population of 1 million people. Health 
activities that ADRA co-ordinates in Carrfour target a 
population of 50,000 people, especially mothers and children.
98/SEPT/03

**********

DOMINICANS RECEIVE ASSISTANCE IN THE WAKE OF 
HURRICANE GEORGES
 
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 26.09.1998 [ADRA/APD]    
Thousands of people who are confined to shelters or their 
damaged homes are receiving material support from Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) volunteers in the
wake of Hurricane Georges last night in the Dominican Republic.

More than 300 ADRA volunteers are concentrating their relief 
efforts on the collection and distribution of food and clothing 
to crowded shelters where many of the half million displaced 
or homeless are seeking assistance. Approximately 30,000 
homes are severely damaged or destroyed either from the 
storm or from the subsequent floods. Nearly the entire 
population does not have access to water as many electrical
systems are knocked down. Telephone lines are also not 
working in numerous areas.

"This was the worst hurricane I've seen in my life. The winds 
were so ferocious and noisy that no one slept all night," 
reports Silvestre Gonzales, ADRA Dominican Republic director.
"For the inhabitants of the capital, Santo Domingo, it was a 
full 10 hours of relentless panic." 

Because the eye of the storm did not pass over the capital, 
there was no break in the wind. Roofs flew from houses and 
falling trees and other debris caused great damage to 
buildings and cars, Gonzales says. Streets in the capital are 
currently impassable due to the accumulation of debris and 
flooding. 

In the next few days, ADRA will extend its assistance to 
include distributing food and plastic sheeting for shelter in 
those areas that are isolated due to debris and flooded rivers 
blocking the roads. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the 
Dominican Republic is providing volunteers to assist ADRA in 
gathering clothing, blankets and food from the  less affected 
communities. Many Adventist church buildings are also being 
used as emergency shelters.

Programs that ADRA currently has in Dominican Republic 
include a mother/child health project funded by the 
Norwegian government through ADRA Norway. In its third 
year, the project has approximately 70,000 beneficiaries 
through the assistance of  350 volunteers. Also in its third 
year, ADRA's agricultural project is funded by ADRA Belgium 
and the Belgium government.

As Georges reached Haiti, the winds decreased and caused 
less damage than that of Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. 
However, there is severe flooding reported in the northern
region near Cape Haitian reports Wally Amundson, ADRA vice 
president for the region. 

For additional information on how to help hurricane victims or
to make a donation, please call ADRA at 800-424-ADRA 
(2372). 98/SEPT/04

*******

VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE IN THE 
AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE GEORGES
 
San Juan, Puerto Rico, 26.09.1998 [ADRA/APD]  More than 
600 Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) 
volunteers are providing immediate relief assistance to 
thousands of affected people in Puerto Rico following the 
havoc caused by Hurricane Georges.

Three hundred highly trained and disciplined medical cadets 
began house to house damage assessment in co-ordination 
with the Red Cross as soon as the storm cleared. ADRA has 
more than 300 additional volunteers assisting in the collection, 
sorting and distribution of relief items, including food, water, 
blankets and plastic sheeting. The plastic sheeting, needed to 
cover damaged roofs, are being provided by the Red Cross
and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The 
Red Cross is also contributing cots.

"This is the worst storm to hit Puerto Rico in 70 years," says 
Eliezer Melendez, ADRA Puerto Rico director. According to 
Melendez, the damage is widespread with most houses on the 
island affected. Roofs have been blown away, water systems 
are not functioning, electricity is off, and trees have been 
knocked down. The hardest hit areas are the capital, San 
Juan, and the Puerto Rican islands of Culebra and Vieques. 
According to Melendez areas with wooden structures suffered 
the most damage, and 25,000 people are homeless.

As part of damage assessment, the cadets collect information
for a FEMA database including the family name and number of 
occupants living in the household. The cadets are a highly 
disciplined group of Seventh-day Adventist youth who have a 
good reputation, says Melendez. They are a very dependable
force that the Red Cross has used time and time again for 
damage assessment. The cadets, many in their teens, attend 
monthly meetings in preparation for disasters such as this.

ADRA works closely with the Red Cross and FEMA during a 
disaster response operation and is part of disaster 
preparedness plans.

ADRA's current operations are based in central San Juan at a 
youth centre serving as a warehouse and distribution site. 
"ADRA is located in all parts of the island and can assist 
wherever we have items for distribution available," says Wally 
Amundson, ADRA vice president for the region.

ADRA has agreed to work in the area of "mass care" for future 
disasters, according to Amundson. "Mass care" includes 
damage assessment and food distribution in co-operation with 
the Red Cross and FEMA.

"There is little damage being reported on Guadeloupe, 
Martinique and St. Martin," says Amundson. "St. Kitts reports 
that 85 percent of the buildings have been damaged and we 
are still waiting for reports from Antigua and St. Croix," he 
says. "and we are now facing a similar situation in Dominican 
Republic and Haiti as Georges moves on."

"FEMA and the Puerto Rican government are doing a good job 
supplying some of the basic items for the affected population, 
but monetary donations are most needed to help move the 
items to the stricken families," says Amundson. 98/SEPT/05

*******

ALBANIA PROGRAMS, COUNTRY TRAVEL RESUMED 
FOLLOWING UNREST
 
Tirana, Albania, 26.09.1998 [ADRA/APD]   After a quiet 
weekend in Albania, the Adventist Development and Relief 
Agency (ADRA) yesterday resumed national travel and project 
management following the civil unrest that gripped Tirana last 
week and the looting of its warehouse on Monday, September 14.

Albanian police are slowly recovering items stolen from the 
ADRA warehouse by masked gunmen last week during the 
height of political unrest. Two flat bed lorries owned by a 
German non-governmental organisation (NGO) that were 
parked at the centre were returned yesterday after being used 
to transport stolen water pumps. While reporting a sustained 
amount of damage, the German NGO was grateful to be able 
to restore their humanitarian food link to the northern towns 
of Albania.

Most of the 78.4-ton wheat donation that the ADRA country 
office received earlier this month, provided by the Canadian 
Foodgrains Bank through ADRA Canada, was not stolen during 
the looting. A small amount, though, is spoiled as some sacks 
were split open.

"We are looking forward to completing the first phase of the 
wheat grain distribution later this week, as it was disrupted by 
the unrest," reports Flamur Gorica, ADRA Albania program 
officer. 

The warehouse is open again for storage of humanitarian 
items, although damages to the warehouse itself are still 
being assessed. ADRA Albania provides estimated damage at 
approximately US$300,000. 

The 1.3 hectare site, located three kilometres from the centre 
of Tirana, was leased to ADRA by the Albanian government 
early in 1994. In addition to constructing a 7,000 square foot 
humanitarian warehouse, the agency also erected two other
 buildings to be used as a job training centre and a health 
clinic. 

ADRA Albania is also continuing its development of projects in 
the health, education, agriculture, and micro-economic 
development sectors, taking steps to return the projects to 
regular status. 

Edlira Gjeka, ADRA Albania medical officer, and Ylli Zajmi, 
ADRA Albania driver, carried out their tasks as normal 
yesterday as they travelled to Mirdita in northern Albania to 
initiate ADRA's Public Health Education seminar, sponsored by 
the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). The 
seminar was reportedly well received and appreciated by the 
village women.

Gjeka and Zajmi ensured their safety during the 280 kilometre 
round trip by getting the advice of police at each road block. 
As a result, there were no reported incidents while travelling 
in either direction.

The politically sparked violence that broke out last Monday 
resulted in destruction and looting not seen in the country 
since March 1997. To make matters more intense, a further 
4,000 Kosovar refugees reportedly crossed into Albania from 
neighbouring Montenegro during the height of the unrest. 
While a daily opposition political march has continued in 
Tirana, an appeal for wider demonstrations throughout the 
country remains unsuccessful.

"We are constantly reviewing the security situation to ensure 
that all staff have adequate protection while out in the field,"
reports Seán Robinson, ADRA Albania director.

ADRA Albania is a local NGO registered in Albania since 1991, 
which until this year focused primarily on disaster relief. ADRA 
Albania is currently developing US$2.5 million worth of 
projects for the health and agriculture sectors. 98/SEPT/06

******* END