wfn.org | West Indies Appeal for Hurricane Aid

[rollins@intac.com]

9/29/95
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon James M. Rosenthal, Director of Communications
Anglican Communion News Service
157 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UT, England
Tel. 44 0171 620-1110    jim.rosenthal@ecunet.org
Fax 44 0171 620-1071

#735 ACC

West Indies Appeal for Hurricane Aid

(CT-Church Times) A major appeal for aid has been launched by the
Archbishop of the West Indies following devastation caused by
Hurricane Luis.

Thousands of homes, churches and government buildings were destroyed
in September when the hurricane engulfed 12 islands of the Diocese
of the North Eastern Caribbean & Aruba. Antigua, Barbuda, St Martin
and Anguilla bore the brunt of the damage.  The cost of the damage
is estimated to be in the region of US$700 million.

The full extent of the destruction is only just emerging, as
disrupted communication is gradually restored.  Sixty per cent of
government buildings and 90 per cent of homes in Antigua are now
thought to have been damaged, with up to a quarter of homes totally
destroyed.

The Archbishop says that the most pressing need is for building
materials although there are fears that problems with food and water
supplies will soon develop, owing the lack of electricity.

The Caribbean Conference of Churches has launched an appeal for
US$100,000 for relief work.  The Episcopal Church in the USA and the
Anglican Church in Canada responded with immediate cash donations
and promises of further assistance in due course.

Meanwhile, inhabitants of the neighbouring Virgin Islands and Puerto
Rico are assessing the extent of the damage inflicted by Hurricane
Marilyn.