116 Dead, 31 Missing, And Potentially Fatal Water-Born Diseases Reported
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (December 2, 2008) - Operation Blessing International is responding to flood-ravaged Santa Catarina, Brazil where 1.5 million people have been affected, including 116 confirmed dead and 80,000 left homeless. Making matters worse, local officials are investigating reports of a suspected outbreak of leptospirosis, a potentially fatal disease from drinking contaminated water.
Heavy rains in the state started over two months ago. During November, the area received 35 inches of rain, which is eight times higher than the average rainfall of 4.3 inches for the month. Santa Catarina governor Luiz Henrique da Silveira was quoted as saying, "This is the worst climatic tragedy of Santa Catarina's history."
OBI's Latin American director, Jordan Durso, is in Brazil. The humanitarian organization has partnered with the civil service, Salvation Army and a number of local churches in order to provide much needed transportation and logistical support. OBI has hired trucks and is purchasing fuel in order to transport stockpiles of relief supplies to the hardest hit areas.
Bill Horan, president of OBI, said, "As we have seen in many other natural disasters of this magnitude, great quantities of relief supplies pour into the major cities near the affected areas, but because of roads and other infrastructure being destroyed, the local governments are not prepared to transport those supplies to the victims. In such crises, transportation and orderly distribution are key to breaking the logistical logjam and supplying relief."
Operation Blessing International has coordinated multiple humanitarian efforts in Brazil over the last five years, including medical missions and a remote water project. In April 2008, the charity opened a permanent office in Sao Paulo that has been helping two remote villages with medical attention, clothes, food, and anti-parasite programs.
To donate, volunteer, or read updates on OBI's efforts, please log on to www.ob.org and/or www.myowneyes.org.
ABOUT OPERATION BLESSING INTERNATIONAL:
Operation Blessing International (OBI) is one of the largest charities in America, providing strategic disaster relief, medical aid, hunger relief, clean water and community development in 22 countries around the world on a daily basis. In 2007, OBI responded to a record 20 disasters in 14 countries. Most recently, OBI mobilized teams and funded major relief and recovery efforts in Myanmar, the Sichuan Province of China, Rift Valley in Kenya, Bangladesh, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, the Darfur region of Sudan, Pakistan, Somalia, India, Indonesia, Mozambique and the Philippines. OBI has also made headlines as a first responder to U.S. hurricanes, floods and tornados as well as the tsunami disaster in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. In addition to directing major disaster relief efforts, OBI has often filled the role of logistical arm to organizations including the International Red Cross, the Salvation Army, UNICEF and the United Nations World Food Program. Founded in 1978, Operation Blessing International has touched the lives of more than 202.7 million people in more than 105 countries and 50 states, providing goods and services valued at over $1.4 billion to date.