Shelters housing over 1,200 displaced persons

The latest update from the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) shows there are a total of 1,221 persons in emergency shelters across St Vincent and the Grenadines. (SVG).

The shelter occupancy numbers are as of July 12, 2024, almost two weeks after Hurricane Beryl ripped through St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Grenada Grenadine islands.

Shelters in the Grenadines are housing 446 persons with the majority on Union Island and Canouan, with just over 50 persons staying in shelters on Bequia in the Northern Grenadines.

Minister of National Mobilization, Orande Brewster, in an interview with the Agency for Public Information (API), provided an update on the status of the effort to get people back into their homes, noting that the first shipment of building materials were sent to Mayreau over the weekend.

The shipment included galvanize, lumber, and siding boards. He said that Roads, Buildings and General Services Authority (BRAGSA), also sent machinery into the island to deal with the clean-up.

He reiterated the call for workmen to come board with the rebuilding.

“We are looking for contractors, labourers, and all the necessary personnel to join us at the Ministry of Housing to see how best we can roll out the rehabilitation and recovery effort.”

Brewster said those with damaged homes on mainland St Vincent will also soon see progress with the repair work.

“We also know that there are people who were affected on mainland. We have created a very busy work schedule and we look forward to seeing a lot of personnel on the ground.”

Approximately 3,500 households were affected in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, according to reports from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), and Brewster said government will be looking into building more climate resilient homes.