Contact: USAID Press Office,202-712-4320; Public Information,202-712-4810

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 /Standard Newswire/ -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) airlifted its first shipment of humanitarian assistance commodities to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, today to help meet emergency needs after Hurricane Felix made landfall nearby on September 4. Included this first shipment are 120 rolls of plastic sheeting used for temporary shelters, 1,500 blankets, and 1,536 family hygiene kits. The total value of this shipment, including transportation, is $99,291.

In response to the Government of Nicaragua's request for international assistance, USAID provided $150,000 to support the relief efforts in addition to the $25,000 for preparedness provided prior to Felix's landfall. With cash and material support, the total USAID contribution to Nicaragua for Hurricane Felix is approximately $275,000 to date.

As a preparedness measure prior to hurricane season, approximately $45,000 in emergency relief supplies, such as hygiene kits and kitchen sets, was pre-positioned with the Nicaraguan Red Cross. These supplies are now being utilized in the affected areas.

A USAID assessment team was deployed to Puerto Cabezas today to conduct on-the-ground damage and needs assessments. Preliminary reports from SINAPRED, Nicaragua's National System for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Assistance, indicate that the hurricane affected more than 6,000 families. As additional information from hard-to-reach areas becomes available in the coming days, this number will change.

USAID will continue to monitor the situation and is prepared to provide additional assistance as needed.

For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance programs, please visit: www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/.