Government-led preparations have been described by officials as “extraordinary,” even as conditions continue to deteriorate.
According to reports, wind speeds have reached 270 km/h with storm surges of up to 3.9 metres expected along coastal areas. A third of the island is already experiencing power cuts, with United States forecasters warning of “an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation.”
The World Food Programme (WFP) is leading a sea-lift operation from Barbados to deliver essential supplies from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN Children’s Fund and WFP itself.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said, “Some 2 000 relief kits are also planned for deployment once airports reopen and weather conditions allow flights to resume.” He added that WFP, working in partnership with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and a joint aid hub in Barbados, is playing a key role in the co-ordinated response, supported by the European Union and Canada.
The hurricane, moving slowly across the Caribbean, is expected to reach Cuba overnight local time, where authorities plan to evacuate around 500 000 people to safer areas.
In Haiti, the departments of South and Grand’Anse have been placed on red alert, with other areas remaining on orange alert. More than 3 600 people are sheltering in emergency sites in the Grand Sud region, while IOM is supporting 3 000 people preventively and helping to establish 100 shelters.
The UN and its partners continue to work closely with authorities across the region to strengthen preparedness and ensure a rapid humanitarian response as the storm advances.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
