In the Mexican state of Tabasco, floodwaters have begun to subside after torrential rains overflowed rivers last week. More than a million people are affected, and rural areas in the neighboring state of Chiapas faced flooding and mudslides as well. Because flooded roadways cut off nearly 300,000 people from assistance, emergency relief workers and volunteers from the Mexican Red Cross have been airlifting food parcels, water, medicine, and relief supplies to the flood victims.
An estimated 60,000 to 70,000 people are being housed in shelters, and the receding waters could lead to outbreaks of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and cholera. We can support the relief efforts by contributing to the International Response Fund.
The swift evacuation from the wildfires in Southern California was made possible by the extraordinary efforts of some 5,000 Red Cross disaster relief workers and effective coordination with the government and other nonprofit organizations. The public also responded tremendously by donating to the Disaster Relief Fund.
In addition to support from all over the country, assistance crossed international borders when the Mexican Red Cross sent ten volunteers to help reach out to the Spanish-speaking community. In response to the flood in Tabasco, American Red Cross has provided $50,000 so far and is sending Winnie Romeril, a veteran of relief efforts, to help with communication and information reporting.
The collaboration between the American and Mexican Red Cross in disaster relief attests to the strength in numbers and the bond we all share as citizens of the world. Humanitarian aid transcends international borders, so let’s try our best to help those in need, whether they are next door or in another hemisphere!
Julia Wong, Texas
Filed under: Disaster, International
