Hurricane Matthew: CDEMA gearing to assist Haiti, Bahamas

Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency readies regional response teams

The Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), says it placed a number of regional response teams on standby to assist Haiti and other Caribbean countries hit by Hurricane Matthew.

“The CDEMA continues to receive regular situation reports from Haiti as well as updates from The Bahamas, and Turks & Caicos Islands, which are also threatened by Matthew. The Regional Coordination Plan (RCP) remains activated and a number of our specialized regional response teams are currently on standby”, said CDEMA executive director, Ronald Jackson.

Matthew, the most powerful Caribbean hurricane in nearly a decade, left thousands of people displaced in Haiti, devastating parts of the country and has now moved off the north-eastern coast of Cuba towards Florida, where warnings are in place.
The hurricane, which at one stage was a Category 5 storm, has left some of its power and is now a Category 3 storm that is predicted to hit the U.S. east coast later in the week.

Haitian officials confirmed that at least 10,000 people were in shelters.
CDEMA said Haiti has been experiencing severe flooding and that the Civil Protection Directorate in Haiti has reported that Matthew has so far seriously impacted the South and Grand-Anse regions.

It said that thousands of people were in shelters and 425 prisoners had been evacuated to safer locations. Schools and airports remain closed and maritime transportation has been suspended.

“The overall aim is to ensure that relief and response support is provided to the impacted State shortly after the all clear has been given. The targeted time of providing the support is within 3 days of the all clear”, said CDEMA’s program manager preparedness and response, Joanne Persad.

“CDEMA along with its partners stand ready to provide assistance to any of its participating states upon their request”, she added.

Jamaica Spared

CDEMA said that while Jamaica has been spared the brunt of Hurricane Matthew, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) along with the Parish and Sector EOCs remain activated. Assessments of the impacts are being undertaken including on-going distribution of relief supplies and clearing of blocked roads.

The NEOCs and District EOCs are also activated in The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands in anticipation of Matthew, which is projected to impact these islands Wednesday through Thursday. Evacuation of the elderly and persons with disabilities has started in The Bahamas.

Matthew is now 105 kilometers (65 miles), north, north-west of the eastern tip of Cuba and has sustained maximum winds of 201 kph (125 mph).

Hurricane Matthew is forecast to move across the Bahamas through Thursday, and is expected to be very near the east coast of Florida by Thursday evening. -(CMC)