Hurricane Beryl: Guyana deploys 1st support mission to Grenada today – Pres Ali

… says Guyana activated full emergency response team

– as CDEMA, CPSO, Regional & Int’l partners pledge support to countries affected

As the region battles with its first major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season – Beryl – President Dr Irfaan Ali who also serves as Chairman of the Caribbean Community, (CARICOM) on Monday stated that he was closely coordinating with all affected countries and Guyana has activated a full emergency response team.

“Currently, we are mobilising for our first support mission, prioritising Grenada for tomorrow morning. Hurricane Beryl is still very active in the region, and the coming days will be crucial in determining its path and the continued devastating impact it could have.”
As such, the Caricom Chairman called on the regional private sector and other agencies to be fully mobilised to provide support at this crucial juncture.
“I urge all citizens and the private sector of our region to coordinate closely with their respective governments and regional emergency response mechanisms in providing immediate support and relief to those affected by the hurricane.”
He added that the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is already working to mobilise and coordinate assistance and disaster relief even as the storm is still passing through the Windward Islands.

“This is a time for all of us as a regional community to stand together and extend our support to those impacted or likely to be impacted by Hurricane Beryl. Let us mobilise the necessary assistance and relief efforts in the true spirit of regional solidarity. Together, we can overcome the adversities posed by this hurricane and ensure the safety and well-being of all our peoples and communities.”
In addition, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and Regional and International partners have indicated their readiness to assist affected States.
Hurricane Beryl continues to surge through the Windward Islands, delivering violent winds, intense rainfall, and a life-threatening storm.
According to reports, CDEMA and the Caribbean Development Partners Group (CDPG) summoned a meeting on Monday with over 166 key stakeholders, to devise a plan in preparation for the category four hurricane.

The meeting, co-chaired by CDEMA’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Riley, and the UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Simon Springett saw the attendance of Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves and Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell.
Also present were National Disaster Coordinators who gave updates on activation of National Emergency Operation Centres, logistics, communication as well as relief and response to the levels of impact.
CDEMA says it will continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Beryl and remains committed to supporting affected States during this time, including Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tobago. This is part of efforts to promptly address the aftermath of the hurricane.
Meanwhile, the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) on Monday hosted its first Coordination Meeting aimed at mobilising the regional private resources to assist Member States, which may be impacted by the passage of Hurricane Beryl, currently affecting the Windward Islands.
The CPSO meeting was held within the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) framework in which the organisation participates on behalf of the regional private sector. The meeting, chaired by CPSO Executive Committee Member, Dr Thackwray Driver, and supported by Chief Executive Officer and Technical Director, Dr Patrick Antoine, sought to ensure coordination and alignment of the private sector response and that participating entities were on standby and in a state of readiness to provide the required aid.
This first meeting, convened against the backdrop of Hurricane Beryl’s destructive path through Grenada, Carriacou, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, was attended by private sector firms, and Business Support Organisations from Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname, and Guyana, and CARICHAM.
“Ultimately, the assistance and support that we aim at providing must be informed by a Needs List,” Dr Driver stated. “Sometimes, unfortunately, well-meaning private sector and other persons may wish to share a variety of items, but we want to ensure that the support we extend matches the needs of the persons and private sectors in the affected countries as much as possible.”
Thus far, pledges have been confirmed from regional bottled water manufacturers to ensure that an emergency supply is ready and on hand if required. Additionally, several manufacturers and conglomerates have been approached for the provision of required relief items. Warehouse space has been identified for the staging of relief items, regional marine vessel providers are being engaged to provide the required marine, and outreach is being made for ground transport services.
“To ensure that the support we provide matches the needs of the affected countries, we are in contact with CDEMA, and the disaster coordinating agencies in the respective countries, coordinating with regional private sector associations through CARICHAM, and are awaiting information from them,” Dr Antoine said.
“At this point, we are pooling all of the resources at our disposal and confirming the logistics so that we will be ready to mobilise, move ahead, and lend the required support at short notice.”
Hurricane Beryl, which intensified to a Category 4 hurricane on Monday, is moving through St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands, Grenada, and Carriacou.
The CPSO says that it joins with the Community in demonstrating our support for the Member States and CARICOM people who are being so badly affected by the wrath of Hurricane Beryl at this time.
“We will continue to work assiduously in contributing to the critical needs of those affected and to support the rapid recovery of the private sector and the Communities in affected Member States,” CPSO stated in a release.

Magnitude of Hurricane Beryl
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted that the first hurricane for the Atlantic season would start mid-August, and as a result, Hurricane Beryl’s arrival on Sunday shocked thousands.
The bathtub-warm ocean waters that facilitated Beryl’s alarming strengthening are a clear indicator that this hurricane season will be far from normal in a world warming due to fossil fuel pollution.
National Hurricane Center said it is the strongest known hurricane to pass through the region since 1851.
The storm located in Carriacou Island, Grenada, has sustained winds of 150 mph and is moving to the west-northwest at 20 mph. Beryl’s hurricane-force winds extend 40 miles from center while tropical-storm-force winds extend about 125 miles.
The National Hurricane Center warned that the “life-threatening storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 6 to 9 feet above normal tide levels” when Beryl made landfall.
Additionally, towering waves could also create life-threatening surf and rip currents and threaten small vessels and fishermen well after landfall while flash flooding is also a concern in parts of the Windward Islands.

Hurricane warnings
The Governments of Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago have issued hurricane warnings and urged citizens to be “extremely vigilant” at this time.
Meanwhile, hurricane watches are in effect for Jamaica, Trinidad, and the south coast of the Dominican Republic.
According to multinational news channel Cable News Network (CNN), over 400 people were being housed in hurricane shelters across Barbados and a state of emergency was declared by Grenadian Governor General Cecile La Grenade, which means all businesses are closed except the police force, hospitals, prisons, waste disposal and ports. This state of emergency took effect from 18:00h on Monday.
Further, over in St. Vincent and the Grenadines shelters remain open as well as grocery stores and gas stations. There has been reports of some destruction to properties and infrastructure in Tobago.
Late Monday, Prime Minister of Grenada Dikon Mitchell reported widespread damage across Grenada, with families battling heavy winds and rain. He stated that many have lost their roofs.
Also late on Monday, Barbados’ Minister of Home Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, announced that all is cleared after the national shutdown. “Our teams are hitting the road to bring you more coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl,” he added.

Airline closure
Several regional flights have been postponed, as many of the major airports are also closing their doors.
Specifically, airports in Barbados, Grenada, and Saint Lucia closed Sunday night as Beryl approached.
Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport is expected to reopen soon; however, Barbados is still hosting cricket fans from around the globe who traveled to the island for the T20 World Cup and were not able to evacuate before Beryl arrived. This includes the world campions, Team India.