As Gulf Coast residents prepare for the first hurricane of the season, Episcopal Relief and Development stands by to offer emergency assistance.

Hurricane Dennis has become a Category 4 storm, with winds of up to 150 MPH.  The hurricane is taking a northwest course, headed toward Florida, where it is expected to make landfall Friday night.  Officials are expecting major wind damage and flooding in Florida and Louisiana.

Late on Thursday, Dennis swiped the coasts of Haiti and Jamaica.  Although neither country was directly hit, wind and rain destroyed dozens of homes.  In Haiti, a bridge that collapsed due to flooding may have killed as many as six people.

On Friday morning, the storm tore through the center of Cuba.  200,000 people were evacuated to storm shelters.

Louisiana communities are still cleaning up from Tropical Storm Cindy, which hit on Wednesday, causing three deaths and wind and flood damage in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.  Thousands remain without electricity.

More than 50,000 people have been evacuated from the Florida Keys.  Last year, four major hurricanes slammed the state, causing deaths and property damages.  ERD immediately sent emergency assistance to Floridians affected by the disaster, and has just announced an expansion of its recovery programs.

ERD staff members have made contact with three Florida dioceses likely to be affected.  We will monitor developments over the weekend and stand ready to respond to needs as they arise.