July 3, 2024 – After devastating communities across the southern Caribbean earlier this week, Hurricane Beryl, a storm fueled by global warming, is now impacting Jamaica as a life-threatening Category 4 hurricane. CARE and Caribbean Gender Alliance – an alliance of civil society organizations across the region serving all Caribbean people with an emphasis on marginalized groups – are coordinating with local partners to assess the humanitarian impact of the storm and support the most vulnerable, especially women and girls.
Earlier this week, Beryl – the strongest hurricane to ever form in the Atlantic in the month of June – made landfall in Grenada, impacting tens of thousands in the southern Caribbean nation and nearby countries, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The storm’s 150 mph winds, storm surge, and torrential rains caused widespread infrastructure damage and displacement, as well as at least seven deaths and 150 injuries.
“The images coming out of the southern Caribbean, of entire towns wiped away by Beryl, are absolutely heartbreaking. And we fear for what could likely be similar destruction in Jamaica and other countries in the storm’s path,” said Nadella Oya, Chair, Caribbean Gender Alliance.
“We stand alongside all those affected by Beryl, including our network of committed local partners who will help lead the response to this crisis. We keep them all in our thoughts and are ready to provide support,” said Jonathan Arogeti, Caribbean Humanitarian Response Lead, CARE.
Across 10 countries in the English-speaking Caribbean, including Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, CARE works through the Caribbean Humanitarian Partnership Platform – a network of lifesaving, locally-led, women-focused organizations. In these three countries, CARE works with the Caribbean Association for Youth Development (Grenada), Helen’s Daughters (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), and the Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers (Jamaica), among others. CARE co-convenes the Humanitarian Partnership Platform with the Caribbean Gender Alliance.
As part of a collective response to Beryl, CARE, Caribbean Gender Alliance, and regional partners will prioritize cash assistance to help families meet their essential needs, livelihood support to help restore sources of income and ensure long-term recovery, and protection of vulnerable people. To support this work, please click here.
Global warming results in more intense and destructive hurricanes, like Beryl, that carry higher wind speeds and more precipitation. Latin America and the Caribbean are suffering many of the worst effects of the escalating climate crisis despite contributing less than 10% of global emissions. CARE calls on wealthy and high-emitting countries responsible for this crisis to keep their existing promises on climate finance and show more ambition to meet the scale of the challenge. Funding must be accessible to local and women’s rights organizations, who are best placed to support their communities to adapt to extreme weather.
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