Communities in Crisis — urgent help needed Caritas Australia urgently needs your support to help the victims of several major disasters hitting the Pacific and Asia. Caritas is responding to all of these crises with people on the ground delivering life-saving assistance. This immediate relief has had a huge impact already, but to continue our work in the region we need your support. "The needs are tremendous and further contributions to the appeal will enable us to reach more victims, and help communities through these terrible first weeks to rebuild and recover”, says Caritas Australia CEO Jack De Groot.   Watch our CEO appeal on YouTube »» Donate now Make an online donation to Communities in Crisis: Asia Pacific Appeal or call our hotline on 1800 024 413.   More information on the appeal and resources.

Typhoon devastates South East Asia Typhoon Ketsana struck the Philippines on September 26, before moving across to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and China leaving a trail of destruction and deaths.  Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected. Caritas is working with some of the worst affected communities hit by the devastation from the typhoon. Caritas and local partners have been conducting assessments on the ground and supplying urgent medical supplies, shelter, food, water and bedding.  More information about the typhoon »»   Donate now »»

Pacific rocked by earthquake and tsunami An earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale occurred 200 km from Apia, Western Samoa on September 30. This triggered a tsunami which hit Western Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga shortly afterwards.  Caritas was on the scene assessing the situation within hours of the tsunami striking. The response effort has included urgent food and water distribution, clothing and the building of housing for severely affected families.  More information on the Pacific Tsunami »»   Donate now »»  Photo: REUTERS/Tim Wimborne.

Indonesia shattered by earthquake A devastating magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of Padang, a city of more than 900,000 people on the island of Sumatra on September 30.  Caritas Australia’s local partner agencies Karina and CRS have sent teams specialising in Disaster Response to heavily affected areas. The rising death toll and aftershocks mean a massive recovery and rehabilitation program is needed. Temporary shelter is a priority and Caritas has provided families with shelter and hygiene kits including tarpaulins, tools, rope and blankets. More information on Indonesia »»    Donate now »» The will to live — a story of hope “We heard the noise, it was like a plane coming”, says Azwiran of the earthquake which shattered his tiny village of Palak Juha. The damage wrought by the earthquake is devastating for the inhabitants of this tiny enclave three hours by road northwest of Padang in Sumatra. The sky is pierced with the twisted beams of wood and metal which were once home to 20 families. Bricks and mortar litter the ground. Some residences have completely collapsed leaving just the roof standing upon a pile of rubble. In other houses you can see the trappings of domesticity, beds, cupboards and furniture, incongruous as they now stand under a roof bereft of walls. Every single house is uninhabitable.  Read full story »»

News update: India floods Latest news: Caritas Australia’s local partners have started to deliver aid as floods in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh open up a new front in the humanitarian crises besetting the Asia-Pacific region. An estimated 250 people have been killed and over 2.5 million people are homeless.  You can help those affected by donating to the Communities in Crisis appeal. Media releases Caritas prepares for new disaster front in Asia Pacific with Indian floods - 07/10/2009 Caritas delivers aid to forgotten villages in Sumatra, 07/10/2009 Samoa: threat of disease grows as Caritas continues to deliver aid, 03/10/2009 Sumatra Earthquake: Situation desperate outside Padang city, 03/10/2009 Caritas launches Communities in Crisis: Asia Pacific Appeal with 250k — pleas for more support, 02/10/2009 Before, during and after the headlines… Caritas is there. Subscribe:  to receive fortnightly enewsletters from Caritas please subscribe at the OzSpirit website. Unsubscribe: If you no longer want to receive the Caritas News Update and the OzSpirit e-newsletters please visit the website to unsubscribe.

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