Hurricane Ivan - EU earmarks funds for victims in Grenada

The European Commission, through its Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), has earmarked €1.5 million for humanitarian aid to meet emergency needs caused by Hurricane Ivan on the Caribbean island of Grenada. The focus of the aid will be on providing the most vulnerable people with emergency shelter, as well as food, drinking water, hygiene kits and tarpaulins for house roofing. About 5000 homeless families will be targeted. Other interventions could include support for rehabilitating water supplies and sanitation. Extensive house destruction has forced thousands of people to go to organised shelters, and many others who are homeless are in "informal" shelters. The aid will be implemented through ECHO partners working in the region.

ECHO is also preparing its humanitarian response for other islands hit by Ivan. Assistance for these islands will include shelter, water and sanitation. Hurricane Ivan diverted its path at the last moment and went around the south of Jamaica as a category 4 storm. However, the country still suffered extensive damage from high winds and floods. It appears that home rehabilitation and shelter management will be priorities in the coming weeks, but it is too early to know the full extent of damage across the island. The amount, still to be decided, will be linked to the needs identified and to what partners will be able to implement.

ECHO is also closely monitoring the situation across the Caribbean including Cuba. Should more humanitarian needs arise as a result of Hurricane Ivan, ECHO would remain ready to respond rapidly to requests for support, channeling its funding through NGO and UN partners.

For additional information on ECHO activities:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/index_en.htm

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