The president of the Jalisco Cruz Roja, Miguel Angel Dominguez Morales, has issued an urgent call for more donations – in particular dispensas (food parcels) – to assist the population of southern Jalisco in their time of need.
Donations to help those affected by the devastation left by Hurricane Patricia are down considerably compared to similar storms in previous years, Dominguez said this week at a press conference.
Although no one died when Patricia barreled into the coast two weeks ago, the effects were nonetheless catastrophic for many people, he insisted.
The situation has become even more serious, Dominguez said, after hundreds of residents were hit by last weekend’s flooding (see story page 1). The flooding came just one week after Patricia’s cyclonic winds flattened and damaged hundreds of properties in a large area between Barra de Navidad and Chamela.
Thousands of acres of crops were wiped out, leaving many locals without the possibility of work, Dominguez said.
Although generous donations have been received from the University of Guadalajara and a well-known supermarket (almost 40 tons), Dominguez said private citizens and businesses have contributed a mere five tons of dispensas, when the goal of the Jalisco Red Cross is to obtain around 400 tons.
Among foods needed are cans of tuna or sardines, tins of beans, sugar, salt, coffee, lentils, tinned vegetables, mayonnaise, cooking oil, cookies, milk and chocolate milk powder.
All Red Cross facilities in Jalisco are accepting donations, as well as Walmart stores.