Emergency: Asia, Peru & Haiti

Portable cooking stoves and other utensils are helping women to prepare food during the flood [Jean Philippe Debus/CRS]

From the floods in Asia to the earthquake in Peru and the hurricane-battered Caribbean, CAFOD’s partners are already helping with vital food, shelter and emergency supplies. But much more still needs to be done. We need your help.

Asia floods: 30 million homeless

More than half of Bangladesh and parts of India are still under water. Caritas fears the situation will worsen as heavy rains continue across much of South Asia.

Millions of people in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal are living in makeshift shelters near embankments and roads and are in dire need of the basic necessities.

As stagnant water becomes a breeding ground for diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, CAFOD is providing medical help to those in need.

Many people are already experiencing gastro-intestinal problems and skin diseases from exposure to contaminated water.

Millions of people dependent on agriculture have lost their crops.

With around 30 million people made homeless by the floods in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China, CAFOD's partners are already providing food parcels, shelter materials, mosquito nets, bedding and urgent medical assistance to thousands of people.

Peru earthquake: Urgent need

Caritas Peru responds after earthquake, distributing food, clean water, clothing, bedding, medicine and other basic necessities. [Caritas Peru]

The quake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck the coastal town of Pisco, killing more than 500 people and leaving 1,500 injured. More than 100,000 people are now homeless as more than 34,000 homes were destroyed.

Drinking water, sanitation and health systems are also affected. Families have been evacuated to community and public buildings.

Caritas Peru is providing food, clean water, clothing, bedding, medicine and other basic necessities for more than 50,000 people and working to ensure 2,000 families have safe houses and access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

CAFOD has agreed a £80,000 grant for immediate relief, including £50,000 from the Worth Abbey's Outreach Peru.

But there is still urgent need for food, bottled water, water purifying tablets, cooking and kitchen utensils, plastic bottles, blankets, clothing, plastic sheeting for shelters and tents for those affected.

Hurricane Dean: Need for shelter

In Haiti where heavy rain and winds of more than 200km/h destroyed homes and plantations, Caritas is already providing shelter for nearly 2,000 of the 6,000 people left homeless. More shelters are needed.

Karen Luyckx, CAFOD's Latin America communications officer, says: "We are focusing our efforts on Haiti as it is the poorest island in the Caribbean.

"Other islands such as Jamaica have a higher profile because of the tourist industry and family links around the world. Haiti is the forgotten island of the Caribbean."

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