Active Programs

United States of America
Floods, tornados and storms continue to be a major problem at many parts of the country. Already a number of states: Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia and many others, have undergone sever damages due to inclement weather.

China Earthquake
On May 12, 2008, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck Wenchuan County in China’s densely populated Sichuan Province, killing more than 50,000 people and injuring more than 300,000. Nearly 30,000 people are still missing. Other affected areas include Beichuan County, Deyang city, Mianyang city and Dujiangyan city where an estimated 900 students remain buried under a collapsed school.

Myanmar Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis, a Category 3 storm, hit Myanmar (Burma) on May 2, 2008. According to news reports, high winds, heavy rain and flood waters killed an estimated 100,000 people, and close to 50,000 are still missing. An estimated 1.5 million people are in need of emergency assistance.

Bangladesh Cyclone Sidr
Tropical Cyclone Sidr slammed into Bangladesh’s south coast on Nov. 15, 2007, packing winds of up to 140 miles per hour and tidal waves that swept away homes, crops and livestock.

Nicaragua Hurricane Felix
On Sept. 4, 2007, Hurricane Felix, a Category 5 storm, struck the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua, affecting more than 300 urban and rural communities and at least 33,000 families who were already among some of the poorest in Nicaragua. Housing, water and sanitation systems; access roads; schools; health centers; and places of worship were all damaged by the hurricane. Impact on crops, the area’s small-scale fishing industry and the environment was disastrous.

Pakistan Earthquake
A massive earthquake struck Pakistan and neighboring India and Afghanistan on Oct. 8, 2005. The most severe damage is near the earthquake’s epicenter, approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. An estimated 3 million people became homeless as a result of the earthquake.

Asian Tsunami
In the two years since the deadly Asian tsunami, Habitat for Humanity has assisted nearly 12,000 families as of September, 2007, with permanent housing. This number of families is expected in increase to 20,000 families, by the end of December, 2008. Habitat has built, repaired and rehabilitated houses with tsunami affected families in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Other Disaster Response programs
Habitat for Humanity is responding to disasters in Burundi, El Salvador and Nicaragua.