2024-07-03 23:58:19
She said almost all the buildings on the island, which is off the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, had been razed to the ground or badly damaged, according to the BBC.
“Union Island is in a terrible state after Hurricane Beryl struck. Almost the entire island has literally become homeless,” K. Coy said in a video message.
“There are almost no buildings left. Houses were razed to the ground, roads were blocked, electricity poles were knocked down in the streets,” she continued.
Fisherman and fishing guide Sebastien Sailly agreed with her. “Everything is lost. Now I have nowhere to live,” he told the BBC.
He has lived in Union City since 1985. and in 2004 survived Hurricane Ivan. But Hurricane Beryl, he said, was on another level.
“It looks like a tornado blew through here. 90 percent the islands – it was swept away,” he said, the shock and fear still evident in his voice, according to the BBC. “I was in hiding with my wife and daughter and, to be honest, I wasn’t sure if we were going to survive at all.”
His cousin Alizee, who runs a hotel with her family, described her terrifying experiences when Beryl flew over their town.
She said they had to push furniture against the doors and windows to prevent the constant wind and huge gusts from blowing them open.
“The pressure was so strong that you could feel it in your ears. We heard the roof collapse and hit another building. The windows were broken, there was a flood. No one knew it would be so bad, everyone is traumatized,” said the woman.
Organic farmer, beekeeper and fisherman Sebastien’s two farms and his beehives were also completely destroyed.
However, he said the community’s immediate priority is shelter. People tried to collect wood and plastic sheets to make temporary shelters for their families.
“Obviously it will be difficult to find water and food,” he added.
Alizee Sailly said Union Island is also in urgent need of many other items, from canned goods and powdered milk to hygiene products, first aid kits and tents. In addition, of course, an energy generator.
Still without power or communications, it was only able to send messages by connecting to the Starlink network launched by Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX.
For its part, the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines says it recognizes the scale of the problem.
Speaking in the morning, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves summed up the shock across the Caribbean nation: “Hurricane Beryl – this dangerous and devastating hurricane – has come and gone, leaving enormous devastation in its wake. Pain and suffering throughout our nation.”
He also promised to respond as quickly as possible to address a long list of post-hurricane priorities for his administration.
But there remains some skepticism on Union Island that the government has the funds, resources and manpower to deal with the problem.
“I hope they can send the military and the coast guard to help us.” I have no idea if they are capable of rebuilding the island, but I don’t think so, Sebastien said. “It will take billions, it will take a year or more, and it will require international assistance.”
Director of the Union Islands Environmental Alliance, K. Coy, also pleaded with members of the Caribbean diaspora to help in whatever way they can:
“We really need help. Emergency kits, food, evacuation – it’s all needed now.”
For many years, K.Coy has done important work to ensure the security of Union Island’s water, a vital resource for small Caribbean island communities.
Her international colleagues say Hurricane Beryl has rendered that work meaningless.
Beryl made landfall on Monday as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 miles per hour.
Thousands of people are still without power, many in temporary shelters in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and St. Lucia.
Still, despite the chaos and homeless people on every inch of the island, Saily said he’s just thankful it’s not worse.
“The most important thing is that we are still alive, not material losses. After seeing the strength we went through, I was just happy today that my neighbors are still here,” he said.
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2024-07-03 23:58:19