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Around the globe, when the river rises or the ground shakes, The Salvation Army is there—ready to respond to human need caused by natural disasters.
In northern Chile, teams of Salvation Army officers and volunteers provided aid and comfort to families who had been left homeless by the 7.9 earthquake hitting the community of Huara, approximately 75 kilometers north of Iquique. Massive landslides, power outages, burst water mains and displaced mountainside boulders have made roads impassable and left many homeless. The Salvation Army was given responsibility for bringing relief supplies and will oversee the rebuilding of homes for some of the estimated 200 families affected by the quake.
Across the Andes in northeast Brazil, torrential rains have left 28 people dead and 31,000 without homes. Salvation Army relief teams are at work serving families in schools, churches and public buildings. Sixty-four towns in the region have declared a state of emergency due to the lack of adequate drinking water. Supplies, mattresses, medicines, and non-perishable food and milk powder are being provided.
—IHQ International Emergency Services
Donations in support of these relief efforts may be sent to the IHQ Latin America Disaster Fund online at www1.salvationarmy.org.