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Dear friends in Christ,
Many of you are asking how Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have
come through Hurricane Lenny. Here is the latest information, as I know
it.
Hurricane Lenny is a very unusual late season storm of high intensity - a
"Category IV" with sustained winds up to 150 miles per hour. This
hurricane is also very unusual because it is moving from west to east (and
thus named by some as "El Zurdo" or "Lefty").
I have been in contact with people in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
over these past days. Bishop Francisco Sosa (ELCA Caribbean Synod) reports
that there have been some flash floods and mudslides in Puerto Rico, but
there has been minimal impact on individuals. Some power outages have
occurred, and water service has been disrupted in some areas, but there is
little damage otherwise to houses.
Bishop Sosa has also contacted the Lutheran congregations in the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and the pastors also report their communities and church
properties have sustained minimal damage.
I also spoke with several persons on St. Croix, including Chris Finch
(President, Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands) and Brooke
Burkey (Lutheran Disaster Response Caribbean Coordinator). St. Croix
received the brunt of the hurricane. Because of fallen trees and broken
branches, a number of power lines are down and there are power outages.
There was minor flooding in Frederiksted and Christiansted. Piers have
been damaged, and about 50 small boats have been destroyed. Because of
strict building codes enforced after Hurricane Marilyn (1995), there has
been a minimum of roof and structural damage on houses.
While assessments are still being made, it is anticipated that the impact
of Hurricane Lenny will not exceed the capacity of the local individuals to
respond. Both the Caribbean Synod and LSS-Virgin Islands have skilled and
experienced persons who have worked with Lutheran Disaster Response over
the years in responding to hurricane disasters.
As this time Lutheran Disaster Response will not launch a national response
to this hurricane. Needed most are prayers for God's presence and
strength, that the people affected by Hurricane Lenny can recover quickly
from the losses they have sustained and their lives be restored to their
fullest.
In Christ,
Gil Furst
GILBERT B. FURST (written on Fri, Nov 19, 1999, at 2:50 pm)
Director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response (Division for Church in Society),
Lutheran Disaster Response (a cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LCMS)
8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631 PHONE: 773-380-2822 FAX: 773-380-2493
Visit our website: www.elca.org/dcs/disaster
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