Note: The following appeal is now closed. You can support our ongoing work by donating to the Canadian Red Cross
Torrential rains over the past week—some of the worst in Mexico’s history—have caused devastating flooding, impacting more than one million people in Tabasco. Tens of thousands of homes are damaged or destroyed, crops are ravaged and livestock has drowned. At least 90 per cent of the city of Villahermosa, the state capital, is under water and 80 per cent is without electricity and running water.
The Mexican Red Cross is very well prepared for emergencies and immediately sprang into action to help those in need. Some 6,000 Mexican Red Cross staff and volunteers have been working round the clock since the flooding began. To date, the Mexican Red Cross has mobilized 450 tonnes of relief supplies, consisting mostly of food parcels and clothing as well as 225 tonnes of bottled water. An additional 400 tonnes of food parcels are on their way to the affected area.
For those that have lost contact with a relative, a special webpage has been launched for people in Mexico and throughout the world to help restore contact.
People in the disaster area who have internet access can register on the International Committee of the Red Cross site as a means of announcing that they are safe. Those without internet access who wish to register can do so by giving their personal details to Mexican Red Cross volunteers, who will enter them on the site. Those who are looking for loved ones in the disaster area and cannot find their names on the websites mentioned above can register them on the ICRC site.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has issued an emergency appeal of $973,000 to assist the Mexican Red Cross in providing emergency relief to those affected by the floods. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), quickly committed $100,000 to assist the Red Cross with its relief and recovery efforts.
Canadians wishing to help may give online at www.redcross.ca, call 1-800-418-1111 or contact their local Canadian Red Cross office. The 24-hour toll free line accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Cheques should be made payable to Canadian Red Cross, earmarked “Mexico Floods” and mailed to Canadian Red Cross National Office, 170 Metcalfe Street, Suite 300, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2P2.