http://www.redcross.ca General news updates from The Canadian Red Cross. en-us Tue 1 november 2011 10:00:00 EST Tue 1 november 2011 10:00:00 EST Copyright The Canadian Red Cross Society. All Rights Reserved http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41138&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=turkeyeqreloc11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41138&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=turkeyeqreloc11 The Red Cross is rapidly mobilizing to meet the needs of tens of thousands of people left homeless by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake this week in Turkey. According to initial assessments more than 1,300 people were injured and over 2,000 buildings have been destroyed, leaving tens of thousands of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41116&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=turkeyeqoc11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41116&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=turkeyeqoc11 The Turkish Red Crescent is working around the clock to assist survivors and reach people trapped in the rubble following the 7.2 earthquake that hit the eastern Turkish province of Van on October 23. The government has confirmed that over 400 people have been killed but there are fears that this number may dramatically increase. Current estimates indicate over 1,000 people have been injured and hundreds more are missing. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41093&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=floodingamericaoc11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41093&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=floodingamericaoc11 Red Cross teams across Central America are on high alert as heavy rains continue to pound El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Over 300,000 people across the region have been affected or displaced, and with further heavy rain predicted, the humanitarian situation could rapidly deteriorate. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41058&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=floodingseasiaoc11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41058&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=floodingseasiaoc11 Large areas of the South-East Asian sub-continent are underwater. An estimated 8 million people in the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos have been affected, and more than 500 people have been killed. The local Red Cross’ are at the forefront of the humanitarian response. Together, they have reached more than 700,000 people. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41055&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=1bilgohungoc11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41055&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=1bilgohungoc11 The world’s most vulnerable populations remain at significant risk to the effects of food shortages and malnutrition according to the 2011 World Disaster Report (WDR) released today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41045&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=qcfloodingrecovoc11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=41045&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=qcfloodingrecovoc11 On October 18th, the Red Cross will begin the new phase of its assistance program for families affected by spring flooding in the Montérégie. The recovery and reconstruction assistance program is intended for families affected by the disaster whose principal residence has sustained major damage to at least 75% of the home. The aid provided through this program is complementary to Quebec government programs. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=40850&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=hurricaneigoroc11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=40850&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=hurricaneigoroc11 The Canadian Red Cross is reminding Atlantic Canadians about the importance of being prepared for severe weather during the hurricane season, which has been particularly active in 2011. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=40732&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=chadcholerase11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=40732&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=chadcholerase11 Today, the Canadian Red Cross is deploying its basic health care unit to treat people who have been affected by cholera in Chad. This unit is part of the First Responder Initiative, a partnership with the Government of Canada. http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=40022&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=hoase11 http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=40022&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rssnews&utm_campaign=hoase11 A cycle of severe droughts has led to a humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa (which includes Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Uganda). It is estimated that over 13 million people have been affected, many fleeing their homes and are now left with limited access to food, clean water and shelter.