Westport, Conn.
(November 2, 2007) - Save the Children is mobilizing staff and
resources to assist children and families in the flood-devastated state of Tabasco, located
on Mexico's southern Gulf coast.More than 1 million people have had their homes flooded, damaged or isolated
by the rising waters, the result of heavy, weeklong rains that have pushedrivers out of their banks. About two-thirds of the state is under water,
according to the state government, and some 300,000 people are still trapped in
their homes. More than 300 schools and 100
health centers have been flooded.Mexican authorities are calling this the worst natural disaster the country
has seen."Save the Children is on the ground and moving quickly to
assist
families in Tabasco
survive this crisis," said Ned Olney, associate vice president for the
agency's global emergencies unit. "People are fleeing for their lives with
little to
carry them through the coming hours, days and weeks. Children are
particularly at risk as they are caught up in the chaos of evacuation and the
search for shelter on higher ground." In
addition, health authorities are warning that waterborne disease,
including cholera, may add to the misery of survivors. "Children are facing serious threats, and we need to move
quickly to
ensure their safety," said Olney. "And with weather forecasts calling
for additional rain over the next few days, the situation is only going to
become more grave." Save the Children's response will focus on meeting the immediate needs of
the displaced children and families, including clean water, food and shelter.Save the Children has been working
in Mexico for nearly 40 years. Save
the Children is part of the Save the Children Alliance which works in more than
100 countries, responding to humanitarian crises and implementing developmentprograms to improve the lives of children in need.
