A woman sifts through the wreckage of her home, devastated by Hurricane Beryl in Old Harbor, Jamaica on July 4, 2024.
SHELTERBOX DEPLOYS RESPONSE TEAM TO THE CARIBBEAN
Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, has unleashed unprecedented destruction in the Caribbean.
An estimated 200,000 people—the entire populations of Grenada, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines—are reeling from Hurricane Beryl’s impact. The first major storm of the season, with winds up to 160 mph, has flattened entire communities. Homes have been destroyed, trees uprooted, and power lines brought down. The full extent of the devastation is still unfolding.
Some islands report nearly total devastation, with Jamaica enduring Category 4 force winds and continuous heavy rain, heightening the risks of flash floods and mudslides. Thousands are displaced, taking refuge in temporary shelters across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and St. Lucia. The Prime Minister of Grenada has reported that Carriacou Island was “flattened in half an hour.”
ShelterBox is deploying an emergency assessment team to the Caribbean. In coordination with other humanitarian organizations and our Rotary network, our team will work to understand the urgent needs of those affected by Hurricane Beryl. We have emergency supplies—tarps, tents, and tools—strategically stored in Panama and other global locations, ready to respond to disasters like this.
We have faced the challenges of responding to Caribbean disasters before. In 2017, Hurricane Irma, another Category 5 storm, tested our resilience and preparedness. Now, Hurricane Beryl demands our immediate action.
Support from people like you enables ShelterBox to respond quickly to devastating events like these by helping us to preposition aid around the world. Communities like those in the Caribbean face disasters like this again and again. People endure a constant cycle of disaster and recovery with little stability. Your support will mean they don’t have to face this challenge alone.
Any gift you can give today will help people all around the world who have been displaced by disaster.