Lutherans in the United States and Caribbean are working together to assist immediate response and long-term recovery efforts in Central America following the devastation of Hurricane Mitch. Hurricane Mitch killed more than 10,000 people Oct. 29-31. The Category 5 hurricane was the strongest storm in the Atlantic Ocean since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Damages were catastrophic, with ships lost in the Caribbean Sea and deaths caused by flooding and mud slides in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.
Millions are homeless, and hundreds of thousands are isolated.
In the aftermath of flooding, one of the greatest concerns is disease control. Mycosis, malaria, dengue, cholera, respiratory illnesses, diarrhea and conjunctivitis are among the health risks facing the region. Malnutrition will also be a factor in the months ahead. All assistance that comes to CCD will be dispatched quickly and without customs charges, ACT said. In El Salvador the LWF Department for World Service has formed an emergency committee with the Salvadoran Lutheran Synod and The Episcopal Church.