The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) today announced it will provide a US$200,000 grant to support Jamaica in emergency relief efforts in the wake of damage caused by Hurricane Dean on Sunday, August 19. At the request of the Government of Jamaica, the grant will be administered and coordinated by the Jamaica Red Cross.
The grant will be used to provide humanitarian assistance to hurricane victims.
Hurricane Dean caused major wind and flood damage, primarily along Jamaica’s southern coast. Many of the affected residents had to be relocated to temporary shelters as their homes were damaged or destroyed. The hurricane also caused significant damage to the agricultural sector and interrupted water and electricity services. Fortunately, the main tourism areas were not affected.
The United Nations Development Program, working with Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is preparing a rapid assessment of the damage to the south coast.
ODPEM and the Office of National Reconstruction are organizing the provision of the most urgent relief and reconstruction supplies to be sent to the affected areas with the support of several international agencies and governments, including the Red Cross and the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Relief Agency.
The IDB Country Office in Kingston will maintain close communications with the Government of Jamaica and other entities active in the emergency relief efforts to ensure maximum coordination and to identify any other initiatives to assist in the subsequent recovery and reconstruction phase.
President Luis Alberto Moreno spoke with Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller earlier this week and conveyed the Bank's solidarity with the government and people of Jamaica. He also expressed the IDB’s commitment to assist in the rehabilitation and reconstruction process as necessary.