CDEMA steps up relief to regional countries ravaged by Irma

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) says it has intensified relief efforts to eastern Caribbean countries devastated by Hurricane Irma now that Hurricane Jose is out of the area.

The CDEMA says its advance team  is operating out of its staging post in Antigua, which was largely unaffected by the hurricanes.

The advance team, consisting of the CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU), Rapid Needs Assessment Team (RNAT), CARICOM Operational Support Team (COST), and the CARICOM Disaster Assessment Coordination team, have been deployed to the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla, having been into Barbuda late last week.

Barbuda, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands suffered serious damage by Hurricane Irma.

CDEMA’s Rapid Assessment team, from its staging post in Jamaica, was scheduled to arrive in the Turks and Caicos Islands today.

The relief agency says it has also been in contact with Haiti which has also suffered damage during the passage of Hurricane Irma.

CDEMA says the latest information from the Governor of the British Virgin Islands indicates that five people have been confirmed dead.  

Barbuda, Anguilla and Haiti each suffered one fatality. Eleven deaths have also been reported in the French territories of St Barthelemy and St Martin, as well as the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten.