Ahead of one of the strongest hurricanes to pass through the Caribbean in a decade, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) activated its Regional Coordination Plan and the Regional Response Mechanism.
The regional response teams, including the CARICOM Disaster and Assessment Coordination Team, the CARICOM Operations Support Team and the Regional Security System, have placed the CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit on stand-by as several Leeward Islands face a Category Five Hurricane Irma with winds clocking some 180mph.
“The CDEMA Coordinating Unit is preparing the Operational Plan with potential scenarios and Pre-Impact Analysis of vulnerable areas in the threatened States. CDEMA is equipped to offer support through the mobilisation and deployment surge capacity in specialised technical areas to its Participating States, and stands ready to respond as required,” the agency outlined in an update.
Highlighting that the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology had outlined that the system would produce life threatening conditions with very strong winds, high storm surge and heavy rainfall, CDEMA pointed out that several institutions including the Caribbean Public Health Agency, the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, the Pan American Health Organisation and several UN agencies were on standby to give necessary support.
Also actively monitoring the progress of Irma, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation expressed its concern for residents and visitors in the countries that are in the hurricane’s projected path, and extended prayers that the impact will be reduced.
“We have been in contact with our members and they assure us that they have been taking all the necessary steps to ensure that they are in a state of readiness. We take this storm seriously. The safety of the Caribbean’s citizens and our visitors is the number one concern for the authorities and emergency response teams throughout the region,” it highlighted.