Our team on the island of Dominica has gotten an up-close look at the damage caused by Tropical Storm Erika. The island nation’s government called for help. Heart to Heart International was the only international NGO to respond.
When Erika struck Dominica, she dropped 15 inches of rain, causing flash flooding and mudslides on the tiny, mountainous Caribbean island. More than 30 people were killed and 35 people remain missing. While Erika was only a tropical storm, it caused major issues for this small island with a population just more than 70,000.
The governments of Venezuela, Martinique and Guadeloupe responded with heavy equipment and personnel to help clear roads and the island’s main airport. Cuba responded with a large team of medical responders. The British Royal Air Force is also assisting, as is the US Coast Guard.
And as our team learned, so far, HHI is the only international non-governmental organization (NGO) to respond to the disaster. On the ground, our team is coordinating with the Dominica Ministry of Health and with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) from the UN.
HHI is providing a relief shipment of Heart to Heart Care Kits, requested by the Dominica Ministry of Health, and is already en route, transported by our global partner FedEx.
Support Relief Aid for Dominica & Keep HHI Prepared for the Next Storm
The storm’s effect will long be felt in Dominica and residents have a long road of rebuilding ahead. As HHI is committed to help people in crisis, we’re honored to be able to assist in this relief effort.
See more photos from our team in Dominica…
Photos by Josh Jakobitz / HHI