Hurricane Beryl became the earliest storm to develop into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic on Monday, July 1, peaking at winds of 270kph on Tuesday, July 2 before weakening to a Category 4 hurricane. It has impacted several countries in the Caribbean including Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica. 48% of water systems in Grenada are not operational. The island of Carriacou in particular has been hit hard. Widespread damage has occurred, with roofs blown off and major infrastructural damage reaching up to 98% of buildings on the island. Widespread flooding is making access difficult, and most electricity is down on the island limiting communications. Union Island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has experienced devastating effects. 90% of houses were severely damaged or destroyed and approximately 1,752 people are in 71 public hurricane shelters.
MULTIPLE COUNTRIES IMPACTED
MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE
CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE
GlobalMedic is responding to the needs in Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. Our Rapid Response Team mobilized quickly, deploying to Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. The team carried with them an AquaResponse3 Water Purification System which is capable of purifying thousands of litres of drinking water. We worked with our partners at World Central Kitchen to set up the system at their communal kitchen. This ensured that all the food being prepared at this site was clean and safe to use, helping prevent people from getting sick by consuming unpurified water.
We have responded by providing shipments of Emergency Food Kits and Family Emergency Kits to affected communities. Each Family Emergency Kit contains a ceramic water purification unit that can provide a household with clean drinking water for up to a year. In addition, these kits include hygiene items like soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, as well as a solar light. To date, we have shipped 1,200 FEKs to Jamaica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Our team has also provided support in the form of Emergency Food Kits. Each kit includes a mixture of culturally appropriate pantry staples, Aquatabs for water purification, and Oral Rehydration Salts. These kits are designed to support families facing food insecurity in the wake of this disaster. We have distributed 1,485 Emergency Food Kits in Jamaica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to date.
