Damage caused in St. Mark Parish, western Grenada, during the passage of Hurricane Beryl on Monday. (Photo by Paul Richardson)
The United Nations has announced a regional response plan to support Caribbean communities most affected by Hurricane Beryl, which struck the region last week, causing deaths and devastation.
The response plan estimates initial needs at US$9 million, targeting assistance to around 43,000 people in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, although the UN noted that these estimates are subject to change as detailed assessments are ongoing.
The plan aims to complement government-led efforts and provide life-saving multisectoral assistance while ensuring the protection of women, girls and other vulnerable groups from gender-based violence.
It will also help rapidly provide and resume essential services and livelihoods in affected areas, including restoring health, water and sanitation, education and agriculture services.
The plan emphasizes that both countries have a significant proportion of households headed by women, making gender sensitivity crucial in analyzing and responding to needs.
Nearly half of all households in Grenada and 39 percent in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are headed by women.
The UN says violence against women and girls is also high in the region, with around 39 percent of women in Grenada having experienced intimate partner violence.
The UN’s initial humanitarian response is expected to take place in two main phases that may actually overlap, depending on the situation on the ground. The UN says this approach will allow it to meet immediate needs while laying the foundations for longer-term recovery.
In the meantime, humanitarian organisations are working quickly to expand the scope and scale of their operations, including rapid assessments, strengthening aid delivery, restoring key areas such as health, water and sanitation, and addressing protection risks.
The focus then shifts to helping people restart their lives. This phase involves recovering and rebuilding, restoring livelihoods, building resilience, and transitioning to longer-term activities.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last week allocated $4 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), including $1.5 million for Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Canada has pledged $1 million in aid through UN agencies and the Red Cross, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It is also supporting the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).
OCHA also urged interested individual donors to give funds to reputable charities and aid agencies and to refrain from in-kind donations, which may not meet identified needs or meet required quality standards, create administrative burdens, and undermine local markets.
Donations can also be made through CERF, the OCHA-UNDP Connecting Business Initiative (CBI) or through support for public advocacy and outreach. To ensure consistency and minimize duplication, support and donations given can be reported online to the Financial Tracking Service.
Hurricane Beryl was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean in June. Initially a tropical storm, it rapidly strengthened into a Category 4 storm and briefly reached Category 5 status, with wind speeds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph).
Experts from the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have warned that this year’s hurricane season will see ocean temperatures approach record highs and transition into a La Niña weather pattern.
The agency predicts up to 25 named storms will form through November, with between 8 and 13 of those having the potential to become hurricanes.
