The Federal Foreign Office has made up to 200,000 euro available for emergency relief efforts aimed at helping the victims of hurricanes Gustav and Hanna in Haiti and Cuba. The funds will be allocated to assistance projects lead by German aid organizations, who will implement them in cooperation with local partner organizations. The aid will benefit people who have lost their homes along with everything they owned in the hurricanes. There is an urgent need for drinking water, food, hygiene items and basic medical supplies.

On 27 August 2008 Tropical Storm Gustav struck Haiti and reached Cuba on 30 August. Tropical Storm Hanna hit Haiti on 2 September.

In Haiti, so far, 90 people have lost their lives and thousands of homes were destroyed. Gustav struck the western part of Cuba, destroying homes and infrastructure. Approximately 250,000 people across Cuba have been evacuated.

Central America and the Caribbean experience storms causing disastrous amounts of damage nearly every year during hurricane season between May and November. The heavy rainfall that accompanies the storms often leads to floods and landslides, inflicting even more damage. More hurricanes are predicted for the next few days.