The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is gearing up to assist its members in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, set to make landfall in the Caribbean overnight on June 30.
According to a CDEMA release, a Caribbean Development Partners Group (CDPG) meeting was held on June 30 with over 165 local, regional, and international representatives, including heads of government. Elizabeth Riley, CDEMA executive director, and Simon Springett, UN resident co-ordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, co-chaired the meeting, focusing on contingency plans for the impending category-four hurricane.
Key stakeholders at the meeting included PMs Dr Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dickon Mitchell of Grenada, along with national disaster co-ordinators and government ministers. Updates were shared on emergency operation centres, logistics, communication, and relief efforts in preparation for the storm.
Hurricane warnings are currently in place for Barbados, St Lucia, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tobago. Tobago has declared a state of emergency, while Trinidad is under a tropical storm warning.
The CDEMA’s co-ordinating unit activated its regional co-ordination plan on June 29 and continues to monitor the hurricane’s progress. The agency affirms its commitment to supporting participating states throughout this critical period.
