A Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) team is on the ground in Grenada providing support to the stressed Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) personnel and confirming priority needs.

Representatives from USAIDs Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Pan American Health Organisation are also in Grenada, as well as a Rapid Needs Assessment Team (RNAT) comprising multi-discipline specialists from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), International Federation of the Red Cross, UNICEF, UNIFEM, PAHO, Environmental Unit of the OECS, and CARILEC.

The Caribbean Disaster Response Unit (CDRU) and CARILEC  deployed restoration teams Thursday and Friday.

A vessel with relief supplies from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of Trinidad and Tobago is in Grenada. NEMA is the CDERA sub-regional focal point with responsibility for Grenada.

 The British naval vessel HMS Richmond is assisting the Grenada Broadcasting Network with establishing an emergency transmitter so that the Government may communicate with the people. They also restored power to the Grenada General Hospital and restocked it with medical supplies from its own stores. Nine of every ten buildings are damaged or destroyed. Virtually every school and church in the Capital St Georges as well as the police headquarters has been destroyed. The only two buildings in reasonable condition are the Grenada General Hospital and Government Headquarters.

 There is no water, no electricity and very limited cell phone coverage. Only some cell towers are functional.

 The security situation is grave and the Regional Security System has deployed security personnel. All prisoners are on the loose. The Coast Guard has no search and rescue facilities.  EOC communication was re-established with the assistance of Grenadian amateur radio operators. The harbour is open though a 300-foot vessel is lodged there. The airport runway has been cleared but the control tower is not yet functional.

CDERA has been receiving numerous calls from around the world on the health and welfare of residents and visitors to Grenada.

 
PRELIMINARY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

1. EOC operations require urgent strengthening

2. A distribution mechanism needs to be put in place to handle relief supplies

3. Tents, cots, food, water, roofing material urgently required

4. Law and order needs to be maintained

5. Customs and immigration needs to be re-established at ports of entry

6. Air Traffic Control need to be re-established

 
ACTIONS IN SUPPORT OF GRENADA:

1.      Deputy Coordinator of CDERA Audrey Mullings is support EOC operations in St Georges

2.      Other EOC expertise was flown in on Friday

3.      The Caribbean Disaster Response Unit is being deployed.

4.      The Regional Security System has deployed security personnel and is providing another contingent to assist with internal security.

5.      Trinidad and Tobago, the CDERA sub-regional focal point for Grenada has mobilized a vessel to deploy relief supplies.

6.      CARILEC restoration crews are being deployed

7.      The Emergency Assistance Funds operated by CDERA, CDB, FirstCaribbean International Bank have been activated.

8.      CDERA has opened an appeal account at FirstCaribbean International at their 80 branches in 20 countries in the Caribbean to support deployment of the response teams.

9.      CDERA is coordinating with the International Federation of the Red Cross information on the health and welfare of residents and visitors to Grenada. This information is to be posted on at www.cdera.org

The CDERA CU continues to issue SITREPs on Hurricane Ivan which may be viewed at www.cdera.org. The UN/OCHA Reliefweb service is also posting SITREPS at www.reliefweb.int