Montserrat Red Cross has asked the public to “stand ready” to make physical donations to the islands in Grenada affected by Hurricane Beryl.
Logistics for how people can make those contributions are currently being worked out, the humanitarian relief charity said in a Facebook post on 8 July.
In the meantime, monetary donations can be made to the account number 81015437 at Bank of Montserrat which will be sent to Grenada Red Cross Society.
The post included a statement from the Grenada Red Cross Society which said its team had conducted a rapid assessment and witnessed first-hand near total devastation in Carriacou.
About 98% of homes, buildings, and critical infrastructure including the hospital, electricity, water and communications were destroyed, it added.
A variety of items
The Grenada charity explained that urgent needs on Petite Martinique and Carriacou include water, food including infant formula, clothing, baby products, shelter materials and temporary shelter.
Other items that are needed are hygiene kits, medical supplies, and water storage and treatment equipment.
“Let us all support our beloved brothers, sisters, babies and the elderly in Petite Martinique and Carriacou who have been put in dire situation by Hurricane Beryl,” the Montserrat charity wrote.
Beryl – the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season – brought catastrophic winds, life-threatening storm surges, damaging waves, and heavy rainfall to the southeast Caribbean.
It barrelled through Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines as a Category 4 storm directly striking Petite Martinique and Carriacou among other islands.
Above average
In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted an above normal Atlantic hurricane season. This takes place from June 1 to November 30.
Experts forecast a range of 17 to 25 total named storms with winds of 39 miles per hour or higher. They expect eight to 13 to become hurricanes, with winds of 74 miles per hour or higher.
Of those, they have forecast four to seven to be major hurricanes, of category three, four or five, with winds of 111 miles per hour or higher.
Montserrat’s Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) director Alvin Ryan, in a Facebook video message on 1 June, urged residents to prepare.
“Action now can really help reduce the impacts of storms on our communities, reduce damage to property, and most importantly, save lives, which is the ultimate goal,” he said.
“Remember, it only takes one.”
Information on how to prepare for a hurricane is available in the DMCA’s 2024 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here.
Visit the National Hurricane Center for the latest weather updates at www.nhc.noaa.gov
