Australia's grant will be distributed through the offices of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Australia's contribution will assist thousands of families affected by heavy winds and rains that caused significant damage to homes, infrastructure, crops and other livelihoods in the affected countries and territories.

Cuba sustained damage to health centres,

Period covered by this Ops Update: 16 to 2 October, 2008;

Appeal target (current): CHF 2,010,991 (USD 1,828,173 or EUR 1,243,656)

Appeal coverage: 35%;

Appeal history:

- This Emergency Appeal was initially launched on a preliminary basis on 9 September, 2008 for CHF 1,802,093 (USD 1,638,300 or EUR 1,115,850) for six months to assist 25,000 beneficiaries.

- An allocation from the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) for CHF 25,000 (USD 23,809 or EUR

15,291) was made on 28 August 2008 to

Australia will provide $1 million to relief efforts in the Caribbean to help the victims of Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike.

The storm and hurricanes have affected an estimated 1.2 million people, with over 300,000 people displaced across the Caribbean.

Homes, schools, hospitals and basic infrastructure including power and water supplies have been damaged.

Australia's assistance will be provided through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for relief supplies, temporary shelter, health services and other emergency

HIGHLIGHTS

- Weather forecasts indicate a high probability of a storm forming within the next days, causing concern in the already vulnerable Caribbean region.

- In Haiti, the Flash Appeal was lunched in Port-au-Prince. The Appeal is only 3.4 % funded.

Health Services

Haiti: The only referral hospital in Gonaives (population 350,000), Department of Artibonite, was severely damaged and cannot function as a hospital in the future. The hospital morgue still has about 20 bodies that were stored there before the storm. Health departmental authorities envision the need for a field hospital for an extended period of time until a new hospital is built in a safe area. In addition, several areas in the southern peninsula and parts of the north remained inaccessible until recently, and health services were not able

The appeal has now raised more than =A3110,000 net, including =A325,000 from the people of Jersey through the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission.

However, as Red Cross delegates assess long-term needs across the region, it is clear that more money is needed to help people who have lost everything.

Destruction in the Caribbean

The British Red Cross has sent a team

The humanitarian relief will go to Haiti, Turks and Caicos and other Caribbean countries that have been badly damaged. DFID has already sent two humanitarian advisors to the Caribbean to assess what humanitarian help is needed.

In Haiti, the funding will help to provide direct assistance to the estimated 800,000 people who have lost their home