In Mitch’s Wake, Worry and Help

In the heart of the Los Angeles port, men more accustomed to hauling barrels of crude oil and machinery loaded a barge with boxes of baby formula and emergency supplies destined for Honduras.

Warehouse workers in Vernon, surrounded by stacks of computer boxes and unassembled furniture, packed bottled water and canned food onto pallets, ready for airlifting to Central America.

Countless people across Southern California--and the rest of the country--on Friday took time from busy routines to help gather or transport relief supplies that have poured in ever since news spread of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Mitch.

From strangers to relatives of victims, from multinational corporations to local churches, Americans have swamped relief agencies with much-needed food, water, clothing and medicines for the homeless and starving in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.

“We’ve had them all come to us--the rich and the poor,” said Roy McKeown, president of the charity World Opportunities International. “I’ve never seen such a response of plain old love for humanity.”

In the last week, the U.S. military has airlifted about $5 million worth of government emergency aid to Central America, where about 12,000 people have died and where cholera, diarrhea and skin diseases threaten survivors.

The military is also responding to requests for help from relief agencies, according to an Agency for International Development spokeswoman. But, overwhelmed with donations and with more coming in, many organizations have decided not to wait for help and have contracted private cargo planes or ships to transport supplies.

Los Angeles department store La Curacao, which has stored donations at its Vernon warehouse, airlifted 40 tons of emergency aid to Central America last Saturday, at a cost of $111,000. The store plans to charter another private plane for a flight Sunday.

In San Pedro, oil, port and shipping companies have united to move donations for World Opportunities International, which has helped coordinate transport for dozens of collecting groups, including the California Highway Patrol.

Before dawn breaks Saturday, dockworkers will lash down a couple of tons of emergency supplies onto the deck of the oil tanker Seavinha. Bound for Honduras from Cherry Point, Wash., the ship is making a detour to Los Angeles to pick up relief aid and deliver it along with 36,000 tons of diesel oil. The cost to the companies for diverting the ship and bringing on an extra load: more than $100,000.

Meanwhile, according to relief workers, beans, rice, blankets, diapers, baby formula, can openers, clothes and water keep arriving by the truckload.