Stamford, Conn. – Aug. 29, 2021– An Americares emergency response team has deployed to the Gulf Coast to respond to Hurricane Ida. The storm is expected to make landfall today— exactly 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region.
Ida, now a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to make landfall between Burns Point, La., and Ocean Springs, Miss., as a major hurricane bringing storm surge, heavy rain and damaging winds. The National Weather Service is forecasting 10 to 18 inches of rain in southeast Louisiana by tomorrow and potentially life-threatening storm surges and flash flooding. Much of the region is under mandatory evacuation orders as the storm approaches.
“Thousands of families are in the path of the hurricane and Americares is ready to meet their most urgent health needs,” said Americares Associate Director of Emergency Response Vito Castelgrande, who is leading the Hurricane Ida response team. “As soon as the storm clears and it’s safe to travel, we will begin damage assessments in the hardest hit communities. Many of the communities along the Gulf Coast are still recovering from last year’s storm and will need help.”
In advance of the storm, Americares contacted more than two dozen partner clinics in Louisiana and Mississippi with offers of assistance. Americares maintains an emergency pharmacy stocked with essential medicines, vaccines and medical supplies that can be delivered quickly in times of crisis. The health-focused relief and development organization is also prepared to provide flash grants to damaged health centers serving low-income and uninsured residents.
Americares has professional relief workers ready to respond to disasters at a moment’s notice and has a long history of responding to emergencies in the U.S., including Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey and, most recently, Hurricanes Laura and Delta.
Americares responds to an average of 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings disaster preparedness programs to vulnerable communities. Since its founding more than 40 years ago, Americares has provided more than $19 billion in aid to 164 countries.
Donations to Americares U.S. Disaster Relief Fund will support its response to the storms. To make a donation, please go to www.americares.org/usdisasterfund
