Whole Islands Devastated
After suffering the wrath of Hurricane Irma, the Caribbean was pummelled by Hurricane Maria. The arrival of these Category 5 hurricanes makes this one of the most ferocious hurricane seasons ever recorded.
In the months since the hurricanes hit we have delivered aid across six countries, tailoring our response to best support different communities.
In St Kitts and Nevis and the Dominican Republic we supported families to rebuild their homes with the help of a ShelterKit. Elsewhere in the British Virgin Islands, our tents were the best option – creating a warm safe home while the long clean-up process takes place.
We are still active in Dominica and Barbuda, where we are helping families to return home and begin the rebuilding process. For families in Barbuda, this process has taken much longer than other areas as the island was almost completely destroyed after the storms.
Yanira's Story
Yanira, her husband and their two daughters, live in Santiago in the Dominican Republic.
Their house backs onto a river, which flooded during Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Yanira said: ‘The river flooded through the house. It was at least a metre high. The walls cracked, there is a hole in the floor, which you can see the river through underneath.’
Yanira and her family received a ShelterKit, containing the materials needed to repair damaged structures and create emergency shelter, such as tarpaulins, tools and fixings. They will stay in their new shelter until they find a house further from the river.
I now feel safer and more comfortable than what we had before.
Stop the chaos
The last few months have brought devastating flooding around the world. We’re working hard to stem the damage and bring back peace to people’s lives.
Right now, our teams are operating in six regions around the world. We’re partnering with local authorities and Rotarians to get our life-saving aid to the most vulnerable families.
We have the connections and the expertise to reach people in need of shelter – but we can’t do it without your help. Will you support us today to help our ShelterBox Response Teams to go further, to place the right tools in their hands?