.: TELEVISION
.: HUMANITARIAN SERVICES
.: KNOWING GOD
.:STUDYING HIS WORD
St. Lucia: Battered by Hurricane Tomas, ADRA Responds
SILVER SPRING, Md. In the aftermath of hurricane Tomas, a category 1 storm that passed over the island of St. Lucia with sustained winds of 90 mph (153 kph) which affect over half of the islands population, The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is responding, meeting the immediate needs of those displaced by the storm.
Official reports estimate that 14 lives have been lost and approximately 75,000 residents are left in need of aid as a result of Hurricane Tomas. Lack of clean, drinkable water and access to food has been identified as the most pressing needs.
To meet those needs, ADRA is providing drinking water and emergency food items to 600 households or approximately 1,800 people. In addition, ADRA staff is providing 4,000 beneficiaries, who have been displaced to shelters, with hot meals for one week ending November 12.
As part of ADRA’s ongoing response, emergency care packages will also be distributed to those living in areas where clean water and food supplies have been sparse. The prepared packages include rice, flour, sugar, liquid milk, tuna, beans/peas, oil, biscuits, salt, and breakfast cereal.
ADRA is partnering with the local government, partaking in a large-scale effort to supply all affected communities with water, safe enough to drink and use for food preparation. Through this partnership, multiple organizations will be designated a specific date to distribute clean water, fulfilling a household’s needs for an entire day.
Hurricane Tomas made landfall midday Saturday, October 30 and lasted nearly 24 hours, until the early morning hours of Sunday, October 31. The forceful winds and heavy rains knocked down trees, damaged buildings, and created landslides and heavy flooding.
