Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Snags hit hurricane relief effort

Saturday 29 August 1992 18:02 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

MIAMI (Reuter) - Hurricane relief efforts were under way in Florida yesterday but delays, confusion and red tape caused snags.

Soldiers, dispatched by President George Bush, had planned to set up tent cities for 4,000 to 5,000 people and 20 mobile kitchens over the weekend. However, last night only four of the kitchens were running.

Thousands of people have been living in battered cars or camping in the rubble of houses flattened when Hurricane Andrew struck last Monday after ripping through the Bahamas. It went on to devastate the coast of Louisiana.

Many Florida families have been forced to scavenge for scraps of food and clean water.

The military relief effort, which will eventually land 8,000 soldiers in south Florida, is one of the biggest in American peacetime history. Portable toilets, tents, generators, water purifiers and earth-moving equipment were among items disgorged from regular military flights yesterday.

The hurricane has claimed 25 lives in Florida so far, plus four in the Bahamas and three in Louisiana. It may be the costliest natural disaster in US history.

(Photograph omitted)

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in