Hurricane Emily Finishes What Ivan Started

Grenada has been hit by an unprecedented two hurricanes in ten months increasing the already one-third of the population that are homeless. CrisisShield are a non-profit organisation building hurricane resistant homes for the homeless.

(PRWEB) July 16, 2005 -- On 7th September, 2004 Hurricane Ivan arrived on Grenada as a dangerous category three hurricane and left as a devastating category four. The damage was unprecedented. Only ten months later, on 13th July, 2005, Hurricane Emily finished what Ivan had started.

Still reeling from damage that, in financial terms, had four times more impact than the worst affected Tsunami nation, Grenada was in poor shape to face another hurricane. 90% of buildings had been damaged, 30% of homes were beyond repair, and, despite the best efforts of the government and international aid agencies, an incredible one-third of the population remained homeless. In human terms, the damage caused by Ivan cost more than US$10,000 for every man, woman and child on Grenada.

To put this in perspective, according to figures prepared by the IMF, the damage inflicted by the Tsunami was valued at US$1,477 for each person on the Maldives, US$930 on Sri Lanka and US$810 in Indonesia. But like all other disaster areas that preceded the Tsunami, Grenada has found it very difficult to attract the funding it so desperately needs to recover.

Of particular concern was the fact that many of the population had rebuilt their homes using hurricane debris to the best of their ability. With no alternative, they had used the only materials available, but to a standard that was unlikely to resist another storm, let alone an hurricane.

Hurricane Emily had much in common with Hurricane Ivan. Both were forecast to miss Grenada until the last minute, and both had stayed uncharacteristically south. Fortunately, Grenada had learnt many valuable lessons from 7th September, but the power of hurricanes is beyond any preparation. The damage inflicted by Ivan was worse for the south of the island, whereas Emilys greatest impact was felt in the north. In the village of Soubise, half way up the east coast, the majority of homes either lost their roofs or were completely destroyed, and the still inaccessible northerly town of Sauteurs faired even worse. But the ultimate fury of Hurricane Emily was saved for Carriacou and Petit Martinique, Grenadas islands, where even the hospital was not spared.

For the now swollen ranks of homeless, life is more miserable than ever. For those whose hastily repaired homes were blown away by Emily, they have again lost everything, not that they had much to start with. And for the majority of Grenadians who were already homeless or living in poorly constructed housing, what possessions they had left are now soaked through.

CrisisShield is a non-profit organisation formed after Hurricane Ivan to build hurricane homes for the homeless. After Emilys visit, their work is more needed than ever. Being an almost entirely voluntary organisation, CrisisShield is a particularly effective way to support the Grenadian homeless. With very low overheads, 95% of donations will go directly into providing accommodation for the 10,000 families, or one-third of the population who have now bravely lived through two hurricanes in ten months, but who are simply not in a position to be able to afford to provide a solution to their own problems.

CrisisShields solution is to offer four different sizes of basic but category-four hurricane resistant houses that are designed to last for two-hundred years. Taking only three weeks to build, they offer a solution to an urgent problem quickly.

With sufficient funding, the problems in Grenada can be solved. CrisisShield are able to deliver assistance directly where it is needed without channelling it through any third parties, and donors can see tangible result for their support by sponsoring specific families. For full details see their website at www.CrisisShield.Org.

Numerous high quality photographs available. Please email Grenada@CrisisShield.Org.

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