Environment Hits: 47

EU Providing Humanitarian Aid to Support the Caribbean Following Hurricane Season

Environment Hits: 47
Environment Hits: 47

BRUSSELS – The European Union (EU) Tuesday released more than five million Euros in humanitarian aid to support affected populations in the Caribbean and Central America in light of the particularly active and intense current hurricane season in the Atlantic.

berylcarDamage caused by Hurricane Beryl in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (File Photo)The EU said this corresponds to over Euro 1.5 million to Central America and another Euro 3.5 million to countries in the Caribbean.

“A significant share of the allocation for the Caribbean, up to Euro 2.7 million, will support humanitarian partners in Cuba, as they are responding to the impact of both the hurricanes and earthquakes that have struck in the past month,” the EU said.

As regards Central America, it said at least Euro 500,000 has been earmarked for Honduras to respond to recent floods following the pass of Tropical Storm Sara.

The EU said funding for these two regions will be used to provide relief in terms of food, water and sanitation, health and emergency cash assistance, to name a few. It will also be used for prepositioning and reinforcing essential stocks in the regions.

The EU said this  funding brings the total EU humanitarian aid for these regions to close to Euro 9 million this year and that this includes previous allocations of Euro 600,000 in response to Hurricane Oscar in Cuba, Euro 650,000 to respond to the impact of Hurricane Beryl in several Caribbean islands, and Euro 200,000 in response to Hurricane John in Mexico.

The EU said the 2024 hurricane season, which started unprecedented early, has been very intense, recording up to 18 named storms. Nine of these storms became hurricanes, and five of them reached category 3 or higher.

In the case of Cuba, in a less than a three-week period between late October and November, the EU said the Spanish-speaking Caribbean country was struck by Hurricanes Oscar and Rafael, in addition to two earthquakes of 5.9 and 6.8 magnitude, respectively.