THE United States government has thus far provided nearly US$9.7M to hurricane-ravaged territories of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin and St. Maarten, a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown said Friday.
Hurricane Irma, a Category Five storm ripped through several Caribbean territories creating total devastation on each territory in its path on September 6. Less than two weeks after Irma struck, Hurricane Maria, another Category Five storm, struck the Region.

Given the massive devastation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) on September 7. DART comprised some 54 persons, who were deployed to 11 locations in the Caribbean to lead the U.S. government’s humanitarian response in association with affected governments.
It is estimated that some 62, 500 persons have been helped through the assistance of the U.S. Government. Those persons were provided with 5, 500 hygiene kits, 4, 260 kitchen sets, 12,000 water containers, 1.2 metric tons of chlorine, 20 chainsaws, 3 chainsaw safety kits, 10,100 blankets and 1,250 rolls of plastic sheeting, all of which have totalled 151 metric tons.

Additionally, the U.S. military provided assistance through eight desalination units, which has thus far produced 83, 020 gallons of potable water. Forty-seven missions are to deliver aid and response personnel and forklifts have been provided to offload cargo. Meanwhile, in response to questions, the U.S. Embassy here said that USAID “remains flexible and nimble in order to mobilise to other areas based on needs assessed on the ground.”

“USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance has provided more than $1.3 million in humanitarian assistance for the Hurricane Irma and Maria responses. This includes support for a recent USAID airlift of more than 30 metric tons of relief supplies to The Bahamas,” Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy Georgetown, Amanda Cauldwell said via email.
She told the Guyana Chronicle that members of DART are in Dominica to continue damage assessments after Hurricane Maria which claimed the lives of several. That island has been completely devastated and Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has called for help as most roads are impassable as a result of landslides, many bridges have been washed away and most of the island’s communication is down.
The DART also observed construction equipment clearing debris, and they say some roads are beginning to open up. Additionally, DART is working to airlift critical relief items to Dominica.

“The DART is coordinating with local officials and airport authorities to determine the ability of local airports to receive relief flights. The DART has identified food, water, and shelter as priority needs,” the embassy said.
In the case of St. Martin, USAID continues response activities in coordination with the U.S. military as Hurricane Irma destroyed nearly all of the island’s infrastructure. “USAID requested the unique capabilities of the U.S. Department of Defense’s U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to provide airlift support, as well as water-treatment services with eight water desalination units producing more than 30,500 gallons of potable water to date.”