USAID has provided an estimated $22 million in assistance in the Caribbean in response to the hurricane devastation of the late summer - early autumn months, directed from USAID's Office on Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).

Flood Waters in Haiti after Hurricane Jeanne

The U.S. Congress has more recently appropriated an additional $100 million to the region in response to the hurricanes.

The end of the 2004 hurricane season has been welcomed by residents of the Caribbean. For some it means a break from the heavy rains and strong winds they have been experiencing, while for others in countries like Grenada, Jamaica, Bahamas and Cayman Islands, it signals a time to concentrate their efforts on rebuilding their lives, as well as preparing for the 2005 hurricane season, which experts predict will be worse than this year.

This year's hurricane season saw four major hurricanes - Charley, Francis, Ivan and Jeanne - make their way through

In Brief

Appeal No. 21/2004; Operations Update no. 11; Period covered: 22 October - 15 November 2004; Appeal coverage: 94.3 %; (click here to go directly to the attached Contributions List, also available on the website).

Appeal history:

- Launched on 10 September 2004 for CHF 1,752,697 (USD 1,389,560 or EUR 1,137,899) for 6 months to assist 10,000

The flooding killed an estimated 2,800 people and left an estimated 200,000 homeless in and around Gonaïves, one of Haiti's principal cities. Yet ongoing violence and lawlessness in Gonaïves has hindered relief work. MCC's response is aimed at current and future needs.

MCC will provide about $100,000 Cdn./$79,000

The United States is launching a $100 million hurricane recovery program as part of our commitment to helping the nations of the Caribbean hit hardest by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.

This $100 million in assistance is in addition to our initial disaster assistance totalling $19.4 million. It will give urgent attention to restoring people's livelihoods and shelter while reducing the region's vulnerability to similar events in the future.

The primary targeted countries under

In May 2004, the U.S. National Hurricane Center called for a 50% probability of an above-normal hurricane season. Several of these storms battered the Caribbean and parts of the U.S, leaving a wake of devastation. Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne proved to be most deadly, reminding us that disaster preparedness efforts cannot cease.

HURRICANE JEANNE

Haiti

Jeanne had already been downgraded to a tropical storm when it hit Haiti, but nonetheless, heavy rains caused serious flash floods in the Artibonite and North West departments of the

Appeal No. 21/2004; Operations Update no. 10; Period covered: 12 October -- 21 October, 2004; Appeal coverage: 74.3 %; (click here to go directly to the attached Contributions List, also available on the website).

Appeal history:

• Launched on 10 September 2004 for CHF 1,752,697 (USD 1,389,560 or EUR 1,137,899) for 6 months to assist 10,000

Hurricane Ivan took one week, from 7 to 14 September, to travel across the Caribbean, causing over 70 deaths and severe damage along its way. The hurricane caused devastation in Grenada and Grand Cayman, significant damage in Jamaica, and lesser damage in other areas such as Trinidad and Tobago, and Cuba.

Hurricane Ivan hit Grenada the hardest. Thirty-seven people died and 352 people were injured. Approximately 90% of homes sustained damage, and 10% to 15% of homes were completely destroyed. More than half of the entire population, approximately 60,000 people, were