Mexico City, Mexico, August 20, 2007 - As Hurricane Dean approaches Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, sustaining winds of more than 150 miles an hour, aid agencies like World Vision are preparing relief supplies in preparation for a response after the storm makes landfall, sometime tonight.

"This is a potentially historical storm," said Aldo Pontecorvo, director of humanitarian emergency assistance for World Vision, Mexico. "The Mexican coastline has never been hit by a Category 5 storm. We're preparing for extensive damage and widespread displacement."

World Vision's emergency response staff are traveling to Merida in order to get an assessment of the needs as soon as possible following the storm. Nearly two million people live in The State of Yucatan.

In addition, staff are preparing relief supplies like blankets, sheets, personal hygiene items and medicines for quick transport to the affected area.

The storm is expected to hit between Merida, the capital of Yucatan State and Cancun, a popular tourist destination. Local authorities have evacuated the local population to government shelters and will keep the airport open until approximately 7 p.m. local time in order to allow tourists to move to other locations.

World Vision has been engaged in development projects throughout Mexico since 1963, and American donors sponsor more than 27,000 children throughout the country.

Relief and communications staff are available for interview later today and throughout tomorrow. For more information, please contact Casey Calamusa or Brian Peterson, at the numbers listed below.

END Contacts: Casey Calamusa (253) 815-2377 (office); (206) 310-5476 (mobile) ccalamus@worldvision.org

Brian Peterson (407) 445-6484 (office); (407) 620-0404 (mobile) bpeterso@worldvision.org