Hurricanes

As we get ready in ring in 2020, we're reflecting on some events from the past decade that brought together international aid workers, inspired innovative solutions to complex challenges, and showed the amazing capacity for resilience humans have in the face of disasters.

Volunteers and staff from the Bahamas Red Cross have been supporting affected communities since Hurricane Dorian made landfall on September 1 - three months later the work continues. 

Even before Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas, the Red Cross has been on the ground. Now a response is underway to provide much needed aid. 

The Canadian Red Cross and the American Red Cross have a long-standing relationship supporting each other during large disasters. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that when Hurricane Florence first made landfall the Canadian Red Cross was ready to send staff and volunteers over to help. 

The Canadian Red Cross has sent operations and communications personnel to support the American Red Cross response to Hurricane Florence. Below are reflections from three Canadians based in Wilmington, NC.

Over the last few years, some humanitarian crises have attracted worldwide attention, such as the 2015 earthquake in Nepal and Hurricane Matthew in 2016.  Despite the avalanche of coverage these emergencies generate, there exist other emergencies that are “silent” and slip under the radar of the media  and the general public. While under reported, the affected populations still have urgent needs to be met.

Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina on Friday, bringing with it significant amounts of rain that could threaten lives. It’s anticipated that the rain will cause serious flooding in North Carolina, South Carolina and surrounding states. With evacuation orders issued to more than a million people, it is estimated that as many as 100,000 may need emergency shelter. The American Red Cross is launching a massive emergency response.  

Six months ago, Hurricane Maria hit Dominica hard. The Category 5 hurricane brought torrential rain and winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour. Nearly the entire island was destroyed. Today, those impacted by the storm are working with the Red Cross to rebuild and recover.