Silver Spring, Maryland--In response to the destruction caused by Hurricane
Felix as it swept over the Nicaragua-Honduras border on September 4, the
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has dispatched an emergency
team equipped with rescue devices, blankets, food items, and first aid kits
for nearly 250 Nicaraguan families devastated by the recent disaster.

ADRA's team of 10 emergency rescue specialists based in Managua is flying to
the heavily hit Atlantic coast to provide emergency aid, including first aid
kits, blankets, and food baskets for 1,200 displaced survivors in the
affected towns of Puerto Cabezas, Tasba Raya, and La Tronquera.

To date, 48 are known to have died in the wake of Hurricane Felix.
That number is expected to rise as officials receive casualty reports from
the remaining 70 percent of vulnerable coastal towns and villages, some of
which are thought to have been obliterated by the hurricane. In Puerto
Cabezas, Felix tore the roofs from buildings and damaged the town's hospital
and airport, according to Nicaraguan Civil Defense officials.

Indigenous communities, including Miskitos, Mayagnas, Mestizos, and Creoles,
who are believed to be among the most affected, are primary beneficiaries of
ADRA's immediate response. In coordination with the Civil Defense,
Nicaraguan military, and other local humanitarian agencies, ADRA's initial
relief efforts will provide food baskets stocked with rice, beans, sugar,
salt, oil, and cereal, as well as blankets and first aid kits that contain
bandages, antiseptic spray, saline solution, oral rehydration solution,
anti-diarrheal medication, and analgesic gel. Each family will receive one
first aid kit, two blankets, and one food basket.

The seven-day initial response project is funded by ADRA International, the
ADRA Inter-America regional office located in Miami, Florida, and ADRA
Nicaragua.

ADRA Nicaragua is continuing to assess the situation as more information
emerges as to the full scope of the disaster. It has developed expanded
contingency and response plans that will meet the changing needs of
survivors in the hurricane's aftermath. Nearly 80 percent of Nicaraguans
live below the international poverty line, many in ill-constructed homes
with water and sanitation systems that were also severely affected by the
hurricane.

Hurricane Felix made landfall on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua Tuesday,
with 160 mph winds slamming into the towns of Puerto Cabezas, Waspam, and
Rio Coco. Reports indicate more than 5,000 houses have been destroyed, at
least 35,000 people have been affected, with 13,500 evacuated from coastal
areas.

In Mexico, Hurricane Henriette made a second landfall as a category one
storm on the Pacific Coast on Tuesday, but weakened to a tropical storm as
it traveled up the coast of Mexico on Wednesday. At least seven people have
been killed.

ADRA offices throughout Central America and the Caribbean are actively
working to help survivors of Hurricane Dean, Felix, and Henriette recover
from this season's violent hurricane season.

Updates will be released as more information becomes available.

To donate to ADRA's responses to help hurricane survivors, please contact
ADRA at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or donate online to ADRA's Emergency Response
fund at www.adra.org http://www.adra.org/site/R?i=3raO89csZIblQkqAWNWkOQ.. .

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and
emergency management without regard to political or religious association,
age, gender, or ethnicity.