Mississauga, ON— World Vision is stepping-up relief operations in El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Columbia and Costa Rica in response to torrential rainfalls and mudslides in the region, resulting in large part from Tropical Storm Stan.

"Thousands of children and their families have been left homeless and without adequate food or water," said Emmanuel Isch, director of emergency relief and disaster mitigation for World Vision Canada, "World Vision is appealing to Canadians to donate as families and their communities are in desperate need of emergency supplies."

World Vision staff in El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico, the most-affected countries in the region, are still working to assess damage in outlying World Vision projects and surrounding communities. World Vision has yet to establish communication with some of its projects in Guatemala due to extensive damage to bridges and roads, flash-flooding and continued mudslides.

Nearly 50,000 Canadians sponsor children in these countries, and are concerned about their sponsored children. Sponsors in these regions will be updated if needed once assessment reports have been finalized, or inquiries can be made via this Web site or 1.800.268.5528.

Emergency supplies already delivered across the region include: medicines, medical equipment and first-aid items, children's clothing, blankets, shoes, hygiene and disposable items (such as soap, sanitary towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste and disposable diapers), food, water and temporary shelter materials.

"As we experienced with hurricanes Rita and Katrina, victims of flash flooding and torrential rain require immediate emergency supplies of clean water, food and warm blankets," added Isch, "And they need to know that someone cares."

To date, World Vision has raised more than $7.4 million USD to respond to September's Gulf Coast hurricanes. World Vision is working alongside churches and faith-based organizations in the U.S. Gulf Coast region to distribute emergency supplies.  World Vision's largest relief efforts in its history are continuing in the Tsunami ravaged Southeast Asian region, and World Vision teams remain at work in Sudan, Niger, Uganda, Kenya, Mauritania, Chechnya, Haiti, Romania, and may other nations, in response to recent emergencies.

In Central America, World Vision is working with local governments to find adequate shelter for children and their families as well as provide psychosocial support to those traumatized by this disaster. Long-term disaster response will focus on medical supplies, housing and economic recovery for families.

Canadians can donate to the World Vision Central America response by calling 1.800.268.5528.

World Vision is an international Christian humanitarian relief and development organization working in more than 90 countries around the world, providing help to more than 85 million people each year.