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NlNl3-I EPORI' - JULY 1, 1968 'IRROUlfH JUNE 30, 1969
FOREIGN DISASTER P4ERENCY REIJEF
The accounts and case studies herein cover the entire Fiscal Year. To a
large extent, they reflect your suggestions-compilations and issuance
once a year, retention of the descdptive format in as concise a manner
as possible, and casolidating of statistics.
As you requested, it is an informative, technl-cal presentatim of foreign
disasters to which the United States sent helpdirectly from the U. S.
Government, including P. L. 480 food; f'rom U. S. registered voluntary
agencies; and from other U. S. channels. It contains data on what each
country did for itself. It records available facts on what other people
from other countries did to help disaster victims. In it you will find:
stories about what can be done; ways in which relief efforts were improved;
strengths anc? weaknesses in relief operations; and, in effect, a guide on
what to do then disaster strikes. There is also a thread of encouragement
to disaster relief personnel. Experience shows that even in the darkest
moments there are many wqys to help, and if one way fails there is always
an alternative. It is heartening to note that there are so many khd ad
generous peovle who are willing to help others. It is sad to note th?t
many gave their lives to save others.
ANALYSIS QN FOHEIGN DISASTERS IN FISCAL YEAR 1969
General
There wre fewer disasters reported in this fiscal year than in any year
since 1964-the year in which records first began to be kept on a regular
basis. But the number of deaths, total number of victims and value of
U. S. assistance amounted to alrrost $115 million-far more than in any
other year. This was due to the Nipria/Biafra civil strife, number and
mqpitude of-creepinp: type drou.qht/famine disasters, and the destructive
floods durhg the smr and fall in the Near East South Asia region.
Africa Reaion and E w e
With 12 disasters, the Africa Region had the most disasters in which U. S.
assistance was given during Fiscal Year 1969.
The war-created famine in IJigeria/Biaf'ra had the greatest inpact on the
world with its estimated one mil.lion starv~~tior! deaths anC the need to
prevent further loss of life by taking on long term feedinq of appmximately