wfn.org | ADRA Responds To Severe Flooding In Mexico

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

October 22, 1999
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

ADRA Responds To Severe Flooding In Mexico

Colonial Narvarte, Mexico. (APD)  After more than two weeks of 
constant precipitation over southern Mexico in September, the 
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is responding 
with emergency food relief to thousands of those affected by the 
resulting severe floods.

To date, ADRA provided more than 25,000 people in the Mexican 
states of Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Tabasco with food relief, 
including food parcels containing basic grains. ADRA is also 
operating 12 kitchens and providing three hot meals a day to as 
many as 2,000 affected residents in north Veracruz. In addition, 
ADRA is now adding north Puebla to its relief efforts where there 
are more than 10,000 people affected by flooding, according to 
Rafael Garcia, ADRA Mexico director.

"Most of the flooding stems from rivers in the affected states," 
says Garcia. "Rivers in Tabasco alone reached historical levels. 
Many families are risking their health and living in their muddy 
homes, or have been forced to sleep on sidewalks, in the street, 
or improvising shelter with pieces of cloth or other material." 

Wally Amundson, ADRA's regional vice president for the Inter-
American region, is currently visiting the affected areas and 
overseeing ADRA's response efforts. He adds, "As I was flying 
into the airport, I saw hundreds of miles of land under water. 
These poor people have had to suffer through two extremes this 
year: first drought, and now flooding. There is no doubt that 
there will be negative affects on the harvest, and the storm 
season still hasn't completely passed."

ADRA's total aid to the affected areas is more than US$85,000, 
with funds from ADRA's international network. With funds from 
the German government, ADRA will also be providing 
US$143,000 of temporary shelter materials--including wood and 
metal roof sheeting--in south Veracruz and Tabasco as soon as 
the water recedes. The German embassy in Mexico recently 
donated approximately US$30,000 to ADRA for additional food 
relief in north Veracruz.