Mexico – The country’s worst drought in more than 70 years is devastating water and food supplies throughout Mexico. Thousands of cattle have died and more than two million acres of crops have been destroyed, with northern states seeing record levels of drought.

The Mexican Red Cross has responded by providing food and relief supplies to vulnerable populations in high mountainous regions, including more than 10,000 native Tarahumara Indian families.

Donations mailed to local chapters may be designated to assist with drought relief efforts in Mexico until March 16, 2012. Visit the American Red Cross website to find the chapter nearest you.

American Red Cross Contributes $75,000 to Philippine Disaster Relief

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

The American Red Cross is contributing $75,000 to help those affected by Typhoon Washi, which struck the Mindanao area in the southern Philippines late Saturday evening. Most recent reports state the typhoon has left more than 1,000 dead, 1,600 injured and has impacted some 640,000 people overall. Massive flooding and landslides have left nearly 20,ooo homes damaged or destroyed, crushed infrastructure such as roads, bridges, power lines, and telecommunications and brought domestic flights to a halt. In the hardest hit areas, Filipino agriculture has sustained damages upwards of $27.5 million, a crushing number for the local economy. These numbers are expected to rise with further assessment of the damage.

The Philippine Red Cross is heavily engaged with rescue and relief operations, responding with more than 600 volunteers and staff. In addition, they have provided food to nearly 4,000 people and have set up first aid and social services at evacuation centers. Through support from the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network, they plan to provide 25,000 affected people with food, relief supplies, water and sanitation, hygiene, shelter and livelihoods assistance, in the coming days and weeks. Working with the Philippine Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross has dispatched 3,000 hygiene kits as well as pre-positioned relief supplies, for 5,000 families with more items to come.

For more information on the disaster, visit http://www.redcross.org.ph.

Last updated on Monday, December 19, 2011

Late Saturday evening, Typhoon Washi struck the Mindanao area in the southern Philippines, leaving hundreds dead and hundreds more missing. According to the national disaster risk reduction and management council (NDRRMC), more than 135,000 people have been affected, with 45,000 currently being served in 47 evacuation centers. Massive flooding and landslides have left 4,000 homes damaged or destroyed, crushed infrastructure such as roads, bridges, power lines, telecommunications, and damaged the country’s agricultural based economy. These numbers are expected to rise with further assessment of the damage.

The Philippine Red Cross is heavily engaged with rescue and relief operations, responding with more than 600 volunteers and staff. The PRC has provided hot meals to some 2,300 people and has set up first aid and welfare desks at its evacuation centers. In addition, the International Committee of the Red Cross has dispatched 3,000 hygiene kits from its warehouses in Davaao, Mindanao’s capital. Additional supplies of food packages and relief supplies are in route to the region. In country, volunteers are also conducting assessments to determine levels of damage and to plan next steps.

The American Red Cross is closely monitoring the situation through our partners in the region and stands ready to support the Philippine Red Cross if required.

For more information on the disaster, visit http://www.redcross.org.ph.

The Turkish Red Crescent Society, with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has determined that external assistance is not required at this time. As such, the American Red Cross is not accepting donations designated to this response operation.

Turkey – A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the eastern province of Van, Turkey on Sunday at 1:41 pm local time. The quake’s epicenter was below the village of Tabanli. Turkey is located on an active seismic zone and this is the most powerful earthquake to hit the country in over a decade. Dozens of buildings collapsed leaving many people injured, trapped, or homeless. Temperatures are close to freezing at night and aftershocks continue to strike the region.

Turkish Red Crescent is one of the largest disaster response organizations in Europe and has prepared extensively for large earthquakes.The Turkish Red Crescent headquarters in Ankara has sent more than 100 disaster specialists and thousands of relief supplies to the region. The Turkish government is leading the response effort and has mobilized vehicles, personnel, supplies and ambulances.Turkish Red Crescent volunteers and staff are working diligently to reach people trapped in the rubble. They have distributed more than 12,000 tents and 25,000 blankets, as well as food and clean water. The Turkish Red Crescent has set up feeding centers for those who have lost their homes or are unwilling to re-enter them, fearing aftershocks. A tent city is being set up in the stadium in the city of Ercis and blood products are being set to hospitals in the region.

The American Red Cross is in communication with partners in the region and is monitoring the situation closely. After the devastating 1999 earthquake in Turkey that left over half a million people homeless, the American Red Cross developed a strong partnership with the Turkish Red Crescent to help increase their response capacity. We have provided support following major earthquakes as well as supporting initiatives to strengthen disaster preparedness.

American Red Cross Pledges Up to $1 Million for Horn of Africa

[Washington, DC] July 28, 2011 – The American Red Cross today announced a pledge of up to $1 million for the evolving humanitarian crisis in eastern Africa, continuing its history of support to the region.

With 2011 classified as the driest year on record in the eastern Horn of Africa, the health, livelihoods and food security of millions of Somalis, Ethiopians and Kenyans are at serious risk.

“The need is dire at best as families grapple with the lack of food, water and health services, and the American Red Cross is eager to support our local partners that are tackling malnutrition, providing water and medical care, stabilizing livelihoods, and mitigating other consequences of this complex crisis,” said Apu Patel, regional director for Africa with the American Red Cross.

With water sources dwindling, rural families are increasingly consuming untreated water, collected directly from streams and rivers, putting them at serious risk from waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Fields used by farmers for grazing livestock have dried up in the worsening drought, causing many families to uproot and migrate in search of viable food and water sources. The rising cost of fuel and food as well as political insecurity in some areas of Somalia has also exacerbated problems.

“Many people are living in the open or in makeshift camps,” Patel said. “They represent a heavy burden for the host communities that share their scarce resources with them. Most of the displaced have nothing left to sell and cannot buy food, which is resulting in even higher malnutrition rates among displaced people.”
In the face of this growing humanitarian tragedy, the Somali Red Crescent, with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), is expanding its existing outpatient therapeutic feeding programs in southern Somalia. Together, they are also launching an additional feeding program for malnourished children under five and other vulnerable groups, such as pregnant and lactating women, and recruiting additional nurses and nutritionists to visit people in the worst affected areas. The two organizations are also complementing the feeding programs with targeted food distributions.

In Somalia, Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are also offering medical treatments as well as distributing seeds, farming tools, irrigation pumps and fishing equipment to help stabilize livelihoods. And in Kenya and Ethiopia, the Red Cross is helping those affected by the drought through school feeding programs, well rehabilitation, water trucking and general food distribution.

Even with these activities, the region’s current and predicted need far outweighs the humanitarian response. With no likelihood of improvement until early 2012, the situation will require large scale and sustained humanitarian assistance.

“The tragedy in the Horn of Africa is chronic, and even as we respond with emergency aid for these new developments, we must also work on longer-term solutions,” Patel said. “The global Red Cross and Red Crescent network was one of the first organizations to sound the alarm and launch an international response, but the solution to this crisis is a long-term commitment to building up resilience and capacity within the region’s most vulnerable communities.”

American Red Cross Contributions to Japan Disaster Response Increase to Nearly $245 Million
New $35 million donation means that almost 90 percent of U.S. donations have been sent to Japan in four months

[WASHINGTON] Monday, July, 11 2011 – The American Red Cross is making a $35 million donation to the Japanese Red Cross, bringing its contributions the country’s earthquake and tsunami response to nearly $245 million – about 90 percent of the money donated.

The new donation to the Japanese Red Cross comes as Japan continues to work to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami as well as newer developments such as Sunday’s aftershock, last month’s flooding, and the onset of summer heat.

The Japanese Red Cross has made significant progress four months after the devastating disasters struck the country’s northeast coastline on March 11. The American Red Cross is backing more than half of the Japanese Red Cross’ $350 million aid program designed to meet the continuing emergency and longer-term recovery needs of more than 90,000 families living in evacuation centers and temporary housing.

With funding provided by the American Red Cross, more than 36,000 families have already received a set of household appliances, including a washing machine, refrigerator, microwave, rice cooker and hot water dispenser, for their temporary homes. As the temperature rises, seasonal appliances, such as electric fans, will be considered for future distributions.

“The number of families receiving appliances has grown exponentially in recent weeks – which is a good indicator that people are transitioning out of the evacuation centers and into more comfortable accommodations, such as pre-fabricated houses and vacant apartments provided through the government” said Alex Mahoney, disaster management expert with the American Red Cross.

Ultimately, the Red Cross will provide 90,000 families with household appliances while also improving water and sanitation systems and providing comfort items for those who still remain at the evacuation centers.

The Red Cross also continues to build up the number of caregivers and psychological support teams working in evacuation centers and nursing homes to address mental health issues, post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety amongst survivors. The Japanese Red Cross has established two psychological support centers and deployed more then 465 counselors to work with the affected population. As of late June, nearly 9,400 survivors had benefited from this outreach.

With major damage to health and care services, a main yet longer-term priority is to support medical facilities, such as hospitals, clinics and care homes. In Ishinomaki, the Red Cross is planning to boost local health services by building and equipping temporary medical facilities over the next few months. In the meantime, specially-equipped beds are being donated to existing nursing homes across three prefectures where many elderly people require special care. The Japanese Red Cross has already delivered nearly 375 of these beds and helped nearly 130 schools replace basic nursing care supplies.

In addition to the funds contributed by the American Red Cross and other international partners, the Japanese Red Cross has said all of the donations collected from Japanese citizens will be applied to a cash grant program. To date, the Japanese Red Cross has sent approximately $2.9 billion to 15 municipalities charged with distributing cash grants to the survivors who have lost their homes, loved ones and livelihoods as a result of the tsunami.

As of July 7, the American Red Cross had raised more than $275 million for the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami response. This figure includes more than $4.5 million in text donations. As these pledges are fulfilled and other donations are received, the American Red Cross will make additional contributions to the Japanese Red Cross recovery plan.

American Red Cross Investments in Japan Disaster Response Exceed $160 Million
Donations for earthquake and tsunami response will be used to help homeless, sick and elderly

[Washington, DC] May 13, 2011 – The American Red Cross is making another $30 million donation to the Japanese Red Cross, bringing its contributions to date to more than $160 million.

The Japanese Red Cross announced a $350 million long-term recovery plan supported by donations from its international partners, including the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross expects that its contributions to the Japanese Red Cross will support more than half of the planned activities.

Red Cross and Red Crescent partners from around the world, including the American Red Cross, gathered in Tokyo from May 9-11 to review the response to the disaster so far and to discuss plans to aid long-term recovery.

“During the meeting, the group identified the need for significant investments in improving temporary living conditions, restoring emergency and routine health services, and caring for the elderly and vulnerable children,” said Alex Mahoney, disaster management expert with the American Red Cross. “As the Japanese Red Cross moves forward with this plan, the American Red Cross will continue to direct funds to help meet the survivors’ unprecedented and evolving needs.”

About two-thirds of the donations received from international partners will be utilized to improve the living conditions for people in evacuation centers and temporary homes being constructed by the government. The Japanese Red Cross is supplying water, shower and kitchen facilities in evacuation centers. Donations are also being used to outfit the 72,000 pre-fabricated houses with six electrical appliances each, which will help an estimated 280,000 people resume normal activities and jump start their recovery.

In addition, the Japanese Red Cross will support the rebuilding of a temporary hospital in Ishinomaki City, the strengthening of the region’s only remaining critical care facility and the future construction of a permanent nursing school dedicated to training specialists in disaster medical care.

The Japanese Red Cross plan also includes:

• support for social welfare programs for the elderly and children, including nursing care, transportation and summer camp scholarships;
• improvements to the Japanese Red Cross disaster response capacity, including telecommunications, water purification, storage, and portable shower and food preparation facilities;
• emergency healthcare, psychological counseling and emotional support services; and
  procurement and distribution of relief items, such as blankets and clothes.

In addition to the funds contributed by the American Red Cross and other international partners, the Japanese Red Cross has said all of the donations collected from Japanese citizens will be applied to a cash grant program. In mid April, the Japanese Red Cross sent approximately $800 million – the first of many installments – to 12 municipalities charged with distributing cash grants to the survivors who have lost their homes, loved ones and livelihoods as a result of the tsunami.

As of May 9, the American Red Cross had raised more than $216.5 million for the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami response. This figure includes more than $4.5 million in text donations.

As these pledges are fulfilled and other donations are received, the American Red Cross will make additional contributions to the Japanese Red Cross recovery plan.

American Red Cross Contributes Another $30 Million for Japan’s Recovery

[Washington, DC] April 29, 2011 – The American Red Cross today committed another $30 million to the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief and recovery efforts, bringing the organization’s total contribution to $133.5 million. The latest donation to the Japanese Red Cross followed a four-day visit to Japan by Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross.

With the funds sent to date in support of the Japanese Red Cross and other humanitarian partners, the American Red Cross becomes one of the largest private, international contributors to the response. As of April 28, the American Red Cross had raised more than $197 million for the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami response, including more than $4.5 million in text donations.

Additional contributions to Japan will follow today’s $30 million gift as pledges are fulfilled and donations are received.

McGovern, who had gone to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese Red Cross, spent four days traveling the affected areas, meeting with survivors and learning how American donations have been and will in the future be put to use.

“It has been very gratifying for me to see the generosity of our country first hand and the impact that it is having,” McGovern said at the conclusion of her Japan trip. “Despite all of the destruction that we witnessed, it’s really quite amazing to know that you are part of an organization, a movement, around the world that can make a difference.”

Donations made to the American Red Cross have supported relief efforts in the more than 2,000 evacuation shelters scattered across the devastated coastal communities as well as the Japanese Red Cross medical operation, which has included nearly 600 teams providing professional-level care.

In addition, the donations are being used to outfit some of the 72,000 pre-fabricated houses planned by the government with six electrical appliances each, which will help an estimated 280,000 people resume normal activities and jump start their recovery.

McGovern said she and other Red Cross leaders discussed opportunities to assist in the building of a temporary hospital in the Ishinomaki area, where all but one of the hospitals had suffered tsunami damage. The proposed prefabricated hospital would reduce some of the stress on the single remaining facility with 100 beds for much needed secondary care until the permanent structure can be rebuilt or repaired. She said the Red Cross leaders also are considering funding the construction of a permanent nursing school.

Nanae Katayama gave birth to her third child on March 24 in a Red Cross hospital in Ishinomaki, Japan – 13 days after an earthquake and tsunami devastated communities along Japan’s northeast coast. The 31-year-old mother explains how she saved her children from the waves:

“I was in the house by myself, when the earthquake occurred. I put my head under the table, the things fell off but the house stayed still. Next moment I thought about my little boys in the nursery, whether it is safer to pick them up and bring them back to the house where things are everywhere, or let them stay there. The neighbors started to come out of the house, so I did. My friend was going to pick up her son at the same nursery, so I went with her and collected my two sons. I ran up to the hilly area with kids in both my hands and in my stomach.

Afterward, I was told that the tsunami hit the nursery 5 to 10 minutes later than that. Now a car is hanging off the entrance gate of the nursery and possibility of some children lost their lives. If I didn’t get a lift with my friend at that time, I would never ever have been able to hold my sons’ hands again. When I think about it, it is really scary. On top of the luck I didn’t lose my sons, now I am very happy to have a (long-awaited baby girl).”

See entire Japanese Red Cross Society Tsunami and Earthquake Response on Flickr >>

“The Red Cross is an organization that has always been at the very center of the action when people are faced by natural disasters. On behalf of the Japanese people and the government of Japan I am so grateful to the American people and the American Red Cross.”

- Ichiro Fujisaki, Japan’s Ambassador to the United States

See entire “2011 Japan Earthquake” set on Flickr >>

Public Donates over $120 Million to American Red Cross to Assist
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Survivors

Money will go to assist Japanese Red Cross and other relief and recovery efforts

WASHINGTON, Tuesday, March 29, 2011 – The American Red Cross today announced that the public has generously donated $120.5 million to help the people of Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The announcement was made Tuesday at a press conference at the Japanese embassy with Japan’s Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki and American Red Cross Chairman Bonnie McElveen-Hunter.

The money will go to the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami response, specifically the Japanese Red Cross, which is providing direct emergency relief, medical services and emotional counseling to affected communities. The American Red Cross committed an initial $10 million in the early days after the disaster and will provide the Japanese Red Cross with another $50 million in the next few days. The remainder of the funds will be made available as they come in.

In addition to the funds provided to support work by the Japanese Red Cross, the American Red Cross has given $500,000 to the United Nation’s World Food Programme for logistics support for the delivery and storage of relief items for survivors. The American Red Cross also has been assisting in the voluntary evacuations of military families from Japan.

“Almost three weeks after one of the most devastating earthquakes in history, we are immensely grateful to the American public for their continued generosity,” said David Meltzer, senior vice president of international services with the American Red Cross. “As part of the world’s largest humanitarian organization, the American Red Cross is eager to support our counterparts in the Japanese Red Cross, whose staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to meet the immense needs of their people.”

“The American public and we at the American Red Cross have not forgotten the generosity of the Japanese people when we suffered tremendous loss after the 9/11 attacks and, more recently, after Hurricane Katrina,” said Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the American Red Cross. “Collectively, the Japanese Red Cross sent us contributions of close to $30 million. Now it is our opportunity – and our duty – to do what we can to help you.”

The American Red Cross expects these funds will be used to fund immediate relief activities such as providing supplies and medical care. Over time, it is likely that some of the contributions will be used for longer-term recovery. The American Red Cross has been in close contact with its partners in the Asia Pacific region since the earthquake to offer its support. The Japanese Red Cross has expressed its gratitude for the support of the American people and the American Red Cross.

The Japanese Red Cross is a highly experienced disaster relief organization with 2 million registered volunteers, many of whom have responded to help their neighbors affected by the earthquake, tsunami and evolving nuclear emergency.

Red Cross volunteers and staff in Japan continue to provide health care, emotional support activities and relief items to people affected. The Japanese Red Cross has dozens of medical teams operating in Red Cross hospitals and mobile clinics treating those affected by the disasters.

Immediately after the earthquake and tsunami, the Red Cross dispatched relief items from stocks to assist those affected, and has provided 125,500 blankets and 25,000 emergency kits. The Red Cross is increasing its relief operations for survivors in evacuation centers and is planning to provide supplies for 100,000 people. It is also working with local authorities on ways to help people still living in evacuation centers.

Overall, the conditions for survivors appear to be improving: the number of people in shelters in Japan has dropped to 244,000 from what had been the high of nearly half a million. More supplies and fuel are also reaching affected areas. However, the needs are still overwhelming and uncertainty around several Japanese nuclear reactors and associated health risks remains a major concern.

The American Red Cross also has been assisting in the voluntary evacuations of military families from Japan. Over the past week, American Red Cross Service to Armed Forces staff stationed at military installations in the Far East assisted with the voluntary departures of military families from Japan. The Red Cross helped register departees, escorted people and assisted in military sheltering operations.

American Red Cross Service to Armed Forces staff also provided a range of support including: canteen services; registering passengers; helping people find out where to secure all the required military clearances; and assisting people to the aircraft. Once the families reached the U.S., Red Cross staff was also on hand to provide families food, snacks and comfort items.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Video courtesy of AFN Korea