Red Cross responds to Hurricane Sandy’s widespread destruction across the Caribbean

Hurricane Sandy caused widespread destruction across the Caribbean before making landfall in North America. It killed at least 69 people and has left more than 300,000 people homeless across the region. The storm caused extensive flooding, landslides, and destroyed infrastructure and crops in several countries, affecting communities’ long-term livelihoods. Damages are particularly extensive in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica.

In Cuba, more than 343,000 people were evacuated, and 200,000 people were left homeless in Haiti. Roughly half of Jamaica’s homes in affected areas are damaged, and the storm displaced 17,500 people in the Dominican Republic.

National Red Cross societies in each country are working around the clock to provide life-saving necessities, like shelter, food and clean drinking water. The Red Cross will continue to support communities as they begin to recover from this devastating storm.

The Canadian Red Cross is standing by with specialized equipment and highly trained personnel, ready to assist if help is requested. The Government of Canada has generously contributed $75,000 to Red Cross recovery operations in Jamaica. This contribution will help fund relief distributions, emergency shelter, dengue fever prevention and epidemic control, and livelihoods assistance for 17,000 people over the coming nine months.

Canadians wishing to support Red Cross emergency relief operations are encouraged to donate to the Hurricanes 2012 fund.

Posted: November 1, 2012