In the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl, the strongest in history in the Atlantic Ocean during the month of June, the United Nations and its partners launched a $9 million response plan to provide urgent humanitarian aid to 43,000 people in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
“Swift action is imperative to meet the pressing needs of people whose homes and livelihoods have vanished overnight,” said Simon Springett, the UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, which includes Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Regional Overview and Response Plan seeks $5 million for Grenada and $4 million for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
See also: Record-breaking Hurricane Beryl threatens Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl struck the two countries on 1 July, marking an ominous start to what is predicted to be an intense 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Most of the buildings on the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada, and Union Island in Saint Vincent, sustained heavy damage. Aid organizations are continuing to assess the full extent of the damage, but they are hindered by power cuts and downed telecommunications.
Mr. Springett, who visited Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines after they were struck by Hurricane Beryl, said that the devastation is “immense and heartbreaking.” “I talked to many families and individuals whose homes and livelihoods have vanished literally overnight. It is likely that utilities will take a long time to be restored,” the Resident Coordinator noted.
The response plan will help to support immediate life-saving and early recovery efforts. The UN and its partners, who are supporting the Government’s response, have identified shelter, food, and health care as being among the top priorities.
“International solidarity at this moment is critical in helping people recover from the devastation and rebuild their lives,” Mr. Springett said. “Together, we can help the communities devastated by Hurricane Beryl recover and rebuild stronger than before.”
