Hurricanes Irma and Maria Cause Widespread Devastation

ADRA’s response team is on the ground in the Caribbean and surrounding areas in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

St. Martin/St. Maarten, Anguilla, and Tortola

Food, shelter, and water are urgent needs in the islands of St. Martin/Maarten and Anguilla in the Caribbean, as well as Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. ADRA has deployed emergency response staff to St. Maarten with food for distribution and will also be distributing shelter supplies and hygiene kits in coming days.

Puerto Rico

The entire country of Puerto Rico is without electricity and means of communication following a direct hit from Hurricane Maria. ADRA Puerto Rico is on the island and already collected and distributed food to many areas after Hurricane Irma before Maria arrived. As soon as travel is possible, our emergency response team will be in action to help the country recover from the widespread devastation.

Turks and Caicos

The Turks and Caicos Islands saw massive amounts of damage, and access to the hardest hit islands – South Caicos, Grand Turks, and Providenciales – remains limited. ADRA is preparing vital resources, including shelter tarps, to transport as soon as possible.

Barbuda and Antigua

After Hurricane Irma brought devastation to 90% of Barbuda’s infrastructure, the island was completely evacuated prior to the arrival of Hurricane Maria. As soon as it is safe to return, ADRA will be responding to meet the most urgent needs.

Dominican Republic

ADRA Dominicana has distributed food vouchers to 1,800 people who were hit especially hard by Hurricane Irma in the Dominican Republic. These vouchers are plastic cards preloaded with a set amount of money that can be used in local shops and markets. Marketplaces take an extra hit in disasters, so vouchers like these both feed families and help invest in rebuilding the local economy.

Haiti

Haiti was spared the full force of the storm but northern parts of the country were still battered, leaving close to 10,000 people in emergency shelters and many areas inundated by flood waters. Cholera and other waterborne diseases are a big concern, which ADRA Haiti’s response will address with hygiene kits and water purification, as well as food and non-food items.

YOU CAN HELP

Back to back hurricanes is a very serious situation, and thousands are in critical danger. Your generous contribution to our emergency fund is urgently needed.