The Cayman Islands Red Cross overseas branch has activated its Community Disaster Response Team (CDRT) to deal with flooding caused by Hurricane Dolly.

The system became a named storm while over the Caymans. It was updated to a hurricane after leaving Cayman waters.

Heavy rains and strong gusts were experienced and due to the flatness of Grand Cayman, there was immediate concern about flooding in the densely populated area. Areas with poor drainage accumulated more than three feet of flood water.

CIRC Disaster Manager Hemant Balgobin, who was travelling out of the islands at the time, received a call from a CDRT member stating that a few homes were being threatened.

Six volunteers of the Disaster Team were mobilized to perform a rapid assessment of flood prone areas, and begin a sand-bagging exercise to save property at risk. Other community disaster groups around the island were contacted and put on alert.

Meanwhile, CIRC director Jondo Malafa Obi decided to open the Red Cross shelter and mobilised another team to manage the shelter and assist at CIRC headquarters.

The CDRT brought in a pump and buckets to help remove water from a house already flooded.

The effects of the flooding was not severe as Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment done in advanced helped contain the flood waters and reduce the damage to property.