Hurricanes

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. 

Learn how through the support of a Canadian Red Cross initiative, the Nicaraguan Red Cross' disaster preparedness and response system had been strengthened, allowing them to be ready when Hurricane Nate hit earlier this year. 

When we see the kind of destruction that events like Hurricane Maria can leave behind, it's easy to not see the unique stories of the individuals who are impacted. From the ground in Dominica, Caroline Haga with the IFRC shares some of those stories.  

One of the strongest hurricanes to hit the Caribbean in recent history, Irma has affected more than 1.2 million people across the region. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria has brought new misery to the same areas, as the most intense hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years.