ELCA NEWS SERVICE September 24, 2004 Lutherans Assess Needs In Caribbean After Tropical Storm Jeanne 04-180-MR CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The situation in Haiti is "extremely tough and confusing," according to Michael Kuehn, director of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) program in Haiti. Tropical Strom Jeanne -- now Hurricane Jeanne -- devastated Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands before striking the Dominican Republic and Haiti Sept. 16-17. In Haiti "the greatest need is for food, water, medicine and trauma healing," Kuehn reported on Sept. 24. "But, it's all difficult to achieve. There is looting, and security concerns remain. Water and food can be procured, but getting it to where it's needed is difficult. We are looking to use local churches in which to set up very localized distribution centers," he said. Tropical Storm Jeanne produced heavy rains and "raging flood waters" that have caused "extensive flooding" on the northern area of Hispaniola, which comprises the Dominican Republic and Haiti, reported the Rev. Y. Franklin Ishida, director for leadership development and mission personnel recruitment, ELCA Division for Global Mission. "Due to extensive deforestation, the worst affected country was Haiti, where two days of lashing rains caused massive flooding in more than half of the country. United Nations sources report 1,113 bodies had been recovered in Haiti's northwest province, with the vast majority of victims in the port city of Gonaives. One thousand people are still missing and 300,000 people were left homeless," Ishida said. "The northern part of Haiti was described by the Prime Minister as a 'vast sea' when he visited the area on Sept. 19." "According to the Dominican Red Cross, four people lost their lives and 13,216 people have been seriously affected by the winds and flooding in the Dominican Republic," Ishida said. LWF and Action by Churches Together (ACT) continue to assess the situation. They report that access to many of the affected areas is only possible by air, as everything is under water, said Ishida. ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies that meets human need through organized emergency response. It is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and LWF, both in Geneva, Switzerland. The ELCA is a member of WCC and LWF. -- -- -- INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS: Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds for aid to survivors of major disasters outside the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please include: ELCA International Disaster Response PO Box 71764 Chicago, IL 60694-1764, 1-800-638-3522, or at http://www.elca.org/scriptlib/dcm/giving/idisaster.asp on the Internet. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news