Heavy rains from Hanna have wrecked the city of Gonaives, which has a population of 300,000 people. “One pastor wrote and told us, ‘We have lost everything – everything!’ ” says David Mark, regional coordinator for Latin America for the Department of World Mission of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). “The entire city is under water, in many places by as much as 20 feet. Vast numbers of people have nothing to eat and no emergency medical supplies.”
World Relief International (WRI) already has used CWR funds to begin the difficult job of funneling aid to area. CWR provides the first $25,000 that WRI uses when offering disaster relief around the world.
The destruction of infrastructure has made providing immediate assistance almost impossible, however, says Mark. “Communications have been cut off, roads and bridges are destroyed. Thousands of people wait on rooftops for assistance.”
To see photos of the Hurricanes’ devastation.
