Salvation Army in Mexico responds to Hurricane Stan

As continental USA recovers from the combined effect of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, The Salvation Army in Mexico is providing help to the victims of the less well-publicised Hurricane Stan, which brought devastation to parts of Central America. Winds of more than 80 miles per hour hit the east coast of Central America and swept inland, causing severe flooding and mud slides, killing more than 150 people and leaving many thousands homeless and without access to food and fresh water.

The main Salvation Army response came about as a result of a request from the Mayor of Tapachula, in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico. The mayor, whose wife is coordinating the official response for the area, approached Major Manuel Padilla – commander of the Southeast Region of The Salvation Army's Mexico Territory – with a request to open feeding stations in the villages of Américas, Primero de Mayo and Xochimilco, each of which lies close to the Cuatan River.

These stations will provide more than 3,000 people with three meals per day and will be jointly funded by the Mexican government and The Salvation Army. The mayor expects the feeding stations to be in use until at least the middle of November.

The Salvation Army's International Headquarters in London has released US$5,000 to help with initial set-up costs and other funding is being sought.