THE CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
EMERGENCY APPEAL: CUBA ASSISTANCE FOR HURRICANES ISIDORE AND LILI
#6737 for $40,000
November 8, 2002


SITUATION:  Hurricanes Isidore and Lili struck Cuba less than two weeks
apart.  Hurricane Isidore made landfall along the northwestern portion of
Cuba on September 22, with wind speeds between 102-150 mph, causing tidal
surges, excessive rain, and power outages across the region.  On October
1, Hurricane Lili, carrying even stronger winds, struck this northwestern
portion of the island again, killing one person, while exacerbating the
damage caused by Isidore.

The hardest hit provinces were Pinar del Rio and Isle of Youth, ninety
miles west and south, respectively, from the country's capital Havana.
The two storms caused extensive damage to family homes and public
infrastructure, as well as affecting economic and agricultural facilities.
Current assessments indicate that between the two storms, more than 7,000
homes have been completely destroyed and some 50,000 homes have sustained
major damage in the affected region.

Many people are still in shelters.  In San Juan y Martinez, a municipality
in the Pinar del Rio province, it is reported that 80 percent of the homes
were either partially or totally destroyed.  More than 37,500 of the
affected homes are on The Isle of Youth, where rain and flooding has also
severely damaged some 20,000 acres of farmland including corn, rice and
banana crops.


RESPONSE: Cuban Council of Churches (CIC), a long-time CWS partner has
been assessing needs in the affected regions since late September.  CIC is
seeking financial support to assist the most vulnerable families affected
by Hurricanes Isidore and Lili in the Pinar del Rio Province and the Isle
of Youth by providing:

 - Housing for 450 families
 - Medicines for 5,000 individuals
 - Food, sheets, and blankets for 4,000 individuals


CIC will coordinate recovery efforts with the help and cooperation of
local churches, local government, the Ministry of Housing, the Health
system, as well as the affected families in targeted areas.  The estimated
project completion date is November 2003.

CWS-ERP has set a goal of $40,000 for this appeal, of which we hope to
secure $25,000 from member denominations and will provide $15,000 from the
CWS Blanket Fund.  For more specific information, including budget and
partner information, contact CWS ERP or go to the ACT web site:
www.act-intl.org

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, Cuba Hurricanes #6737 (Ref#: LACA 21)
P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Phone pledges or credit card
donations: 1-800-297-1516.

Call the CWS HOTLINE for updates: (800) 297-1516.

Telephone: (212) 870-3151
E-mail: donnajderr@aol.com
After-hours emergency pager: (800) 780-0853
Web site: www.cwserp.org


distributed by
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International Disaster Information
Volunteers in Technical Assistance
                                          web: www.cidi.org
                                     listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
comments/suggestions/requests to incident@cidi.org