Hurricane Elsa: UNICEF stands ready to provide life-saving assistance in the Caribbean

Across the hurricane-hit Caribbean, extreme rains and winds are expected to cause damage to infrastructure and a possible disruption to basic services this weekend in the Eastern Caribbean countries, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. , especially in vulnerable coastal areas.

"Hurricane Elsa is the first hurricane of the season, but it certainly won't be the last," said Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Heavy rains and strong winds have now left some parts of the Caribbean without water, electricity and internet. And more are planned this weekend. Floods are a real threat to the most vulnerable families in the coming days. Our teams throughout the Caribbean are prepared to provide humanitarian assistance to families in need. "

Together with its partners, UNICEF has pre-positioned life-saving supplies and served children and families in several Caribbean countries ahead of hurricane season:

• In Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, several reservoirs of water, hygiene and sanitation supplies to reach 13,600 people, as well as tents and educational and recreational kits for thousands of children.
• In Jamaica, around 380 recreational kits for 10,000 boys and girls.
• In Cuba, more than 3,150 kits of personal hygiene kits. Some 12,835 collapsible water tanks are expected to arrive next week, as well as educational and recreational kits to reach 6,500 children.
• In Haiti, about 10,000 sanitation and hygiene kits, 60 water tanks, 4,474 tarps, 56,946 school bags, 2,380 school kits, 200 educational kits and 200 recreational kits, 13,600 mosquito nets, 5,000 solar lamps, 1,500 mattresses, 5,000 blankets and 5,000 clothing kits to respond immediately to the needs of 15,000 children and women.
• In the Dominican Republic, UNICEF is ready to support 8,000 families with cash transfers through the national social protection system.
• At the United Nations warehouse based in Panama, humanitarian supplies are ready to be shipped to the Caribbean, including around 5 million water purification tablets, 21 large collapsible water tanks (5,000 L and 10,000 L), 97,000 Insecticide mosquito nets, more than 400 water and hygiene kits, more than 865 educational boxes / cards, 786 recreation kits, 260 plastic sheets, 22 rolls of plastic tarpaulin.

"Even in the event of a natural disaster, containing the spread of the virus and supporting vaccines must remain a priority in the Caribbean," said Jean Gough. "We are concerned that extreme weather conditions during the hurricane season could seriously delay the launch of ongoing vaccination campaigns throughout the region at a critical time in the fight against COVID-19."

This year, UNICEF has requested $ 25.8 million to prepare for and respond to emergencies throughout the Caribbean, including the Eastern Caribbean countries, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Suriname and Jamaica. So far only $ 8.5 million has been received, leaving a funding gap of 64%.

In addition, for Haiti, the most vulnerable country in the region, UNICEF has requested $ 48.9 million. So far less than 40% of the necessary funding has been received.

Press Contacts

Laurent duvillier

Regional Head of Communication

UNICEF for Latin America and the Caribbean

Telephone: + 507 3017393

Phone: + 507 6169 9886

Email: lduvillier@unicef.org

Manuel Moreno Gonzalez

Regional Communication Specialist

UNICEF Latin America and the Caribbean

Telephone: +507 3017449

Phone: +507 67279884