Massive relief
operations are
underway to rescue
tens of thousands of people who
became victims of Hurricane
Mitch, mostly in
Nicaragua and
Honduras. The
death toll, which is
estimated to be
over 10,000 is
expected to rise due
to hunger and
disease (Down To
Eartk Vol 7, No 14).
According to
the United Nations
World Food
Programme, in
Honduras alone,
over 70,000 people
will need food
aid in the next few
months. In
Nicaragua, the
number of people
rendered homeless is
estimated at
900,000, dose to 20
per cent of the
population. The
losses are enormous. 300 schools
were destroyed,
too bridges were
washed away, and
some of Nicaragua's
richest farmlands were
destroyed. "The
social
sector will be much
harder to handle because of
severe uncinployment and lack of
housing and
water," said
Honduras finance
minister Gabriela
Nunez.
According to the aid
agencies,
repairing the
infrastructure alone
will take more than
US $200 milfion.
European Union
nations, Japan
and China have
rushed emergency
aid to the region.
The US also
announced US $90
million emergency assistance and
is planning a
reconstruction
programme for
Central America.
Cuban President
Fidel Castro said
his country will
send 2,000 doctors
to Central
America to help save
thousands of
lives. This would be
a form of
'revenge' on the
Hurricane Mitch,
said Castro.
Various celebrities
have also
offered their help
to the victims.
The wife of US
vice-president Al
Gore spent two days
in the
Honduran capital,
Tegucigalpa,
where she joined
assembly line filling aid packages and
distributing
supplies to homeless
refugees.
other visitors
included Colombian
First lAdy Nobra
Pastrants, Hillary
Rodhaust Clinton,
wife of US president Bill Clinton
and Binaca
Jagger, ex-wife of
the Rolling
Stones singer Mike
Jagger.
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