NASSAU, The Bahamas – The National
Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, continues its recovery and relief efforts to
those storm-ravaged areas affected by the catastrophic Hurricane Joaquin of a week
ago.
As part of those efforts, Director of
NEMA Captain Stephen Russell headed a team of clergymen into Crooked Island on
Friday, October 9, to render psychological counseling and moral support to
those residents who experienced the wrath of the storm.
Approximately 5,000 residents from six
islands were affected as Hurricane Joaquin, which quickly became a Category 4
storm, traveled through the Central and Southeast islands of Rum Cay, San
Salvador, Acklins, Crooked, Long Island and Mayaguana.
Immediately after the “All Clear” was
issued by the Met Department on October 3, 2015, response teams were deployed to
the respective islands namely: Long Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Rum Cay
and San Salvador for specified periods of time with the purpose of bringing
relief to the affected community members, conducting search and rescue, damage
assessment, access route clearing and the restoration of critical facilities.
Measures Taken
October 3-6, 2015: Prime Minister the
Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and the
Director of NEMA and other officials visited the significantly affected islands
and met with the Disaster Consultative Committees, community members and
response teams on those islands to carry out assessments as to the immediate
needs of those residents.
The National Emergency Operations Centre
(NEOC) remains open under partial activation, with critical members of the
National Disaster Committee on hand to continue to communicate with Family
Island Administrators via NEMA-issued satellite phones to effectively
coordinate local, national and international response efforts.
Between October 1-7, 2015: the Royal
Bahamas Defence Force deployed impact teams to Long Island, Rum Cay, Acklins,
Crooked Island, Mayaguana and San Salvador to provide logistical support to the
District Administrators. Deployment will continue to those impacted islands.
The Defence Force also conducted
auxiliary patrols and marine support via air and sea in response to Hurricane
Joaquin’s impact on the islands. It also operated in concert with the Royal
Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Lyme Bay, which facilitated evacuation exercises of
residents, where necessary.
Regional and International Response
On October 6, 2015: A Rapid Damage and
Needs Assessment Team (RDNT) comprising 21 members from organizations and
countries, namely the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Pan-American
Health Organization (PAHO), the Office of Disaster Preparedness & Emergency
Management (ODPEM) in Jamaica, and team members from Canada, the Virgin Islands
and Barbados, reported to NEMA. The representatives were specialists in response
coordination, information management, housing, critical facilities,
infrastructure assessment, coastal zone inspection, and GIS specialists.
The United States Embassy in Nassau, via
the US Coast Guard, on October 3 provided resources, which included conducting
a reconnaissance exercise of the disaster-stricken areas, the evacuation of
residents, and airlifts.
The US Office for Foreign Disaster
Assistance (USAID/OFDA) donated 36,000 pounds of supplies comprising pots,
pans, silverware, plastic sheeting and hygiene kits for distribution to
disaster stricken areas. These items are being stored at the National Disaster
Supplies Warehouse, Coral Harbour.
On October 8, 2015: the Pan American
Health Organization (PAHO) and the US Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance
(USAID/OFDA) pledged Disaster Relief Equipment and Supplies.
From the public utilities, BTC reported
that in Mayaguana, land lines were being restored incrementally as of October
6, 2015. Services were restored in San Salvador; network service was restored
in Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, and Rum Cay.
Bahamas Electricity Corporation reported
that on October 8, a team from New Providence was dispatched to North Long
Island, to restore electricity where possible.