Hurricane Tomas has hit several Caribbean islands quite severely, particularly Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and most recently, Haiti.
St Lucia was one of the more severely hit islands, suffering the loss of many roofs, including that of the Dennery hospital. Sadly, there have also been reports of deaths due to landslides, with many persons buried still. Infrastructural damage was also seen with the partial destruction of two major bridges and the loss of electricity and telecommunication across the island. Hundreds of people have been displaced and are now in shelters, while hundreds more are still inaccessible. The St. Lucia Red Cross Society (SLRCS) has been working around the clock trying to get relief items to communities, and helping to bring separated family members back together.
Seven to eight schools have been badly damaged as well as over three hundred homes in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Over one thousand persons have been moved to shelters, due to damage to their homes. The St. Vincent & the Grenadines Red Cross Society (SVGRCS) has responded by distributing over one hundred care packages to families, including items such as tarpaulins, clothing and hygiene kits.
In Barbados, several homes lost their roofs, but the Barbados Red Cross Society (BRCS) was able to distribute tarpaulins to affected households, as interim measures until proper roofs could be installed. Thankfully, several communities in Barbados had received training from the BRCS on responding to disasters and so were able to assess damage and handle the situation quickly and efficiently.
Haiti, though not directly hit by the devastating hurricane, still received heavy rainfall which led to flooding, sparking fears that the existing cholera outbreak may be exacerbated. There have been reports of deaths due to the floods, which also damaged houses and other buildings. Red Cross workers in Haiti continue to distribute potable water and other relief items to affected areas.
