80,000 homeless in Grenada

[Bluebear]

"I just heard from one of my brothers in Grenada. My entire family is alive and were not physically injured in any way. Every family member lost the roof on their house, and some structural damage to some of the houses. My brother said that they are very lucky. He said 80,000 people are homeless. He used to be able to sit on his verandah and see houses beneath his house, now all he sees is flat land, and "trees sticking out of the ground like toothpicks" (his words). The major concern right now is for water. He anticipates a shortage soon, and also suspects that gas will run out soon too, making it impossible to boil water and cook food.

He said that all of the supermarkets have been looted and there is no food available. He has urged me to send supplies which I am preparing to do. He specified that I send camping goods, namely a cooking stove, gas ( I checked but my shipper will not except gas as it is a dangerous good and will delay the shipment), food staples (rice, pasta, etc), dry-cell batteries, flashlights, lanterns etc. The major need is for food right now.

He said he can't see electricity returning for another 3 MONTHS and laughed at the idea that it could be restored in days. He drove through Belmont and every single electricity and telephone pole was down and he knows it is worse in other areas of the island. In his words, this was worse that Janet and the current situation is about to become a way of life for a while. He is concerned about the health risks - the inability for people to boil water because of gas shortages; the lack of garbage collection which means that debris and trash will pile up.

Ivan has completely changed Grenada. The only jobs available right now are construction jobs. There is no tourism. There is no agriculture. He is thinking of sending his high-school aged kids to Barbados as soon as they can get a flight out so that they can return to school and not have this set them back in their schooling.

At the moment, humanitarian flights are bringing in food and leaving with foreign tourists on board (he works at the airport and is seeing this). There is definitely no commercial flights. He said that if anyone is sending supplies for their individual family to make sure and coordinate it well so that the family members are there to pick it up when it arrives or else it will surely be looted. The need is that great in Grenada."

http://www.stormcarib.com/reports/2004/grenada.shtml

[demnan]

1. That is horrible

Is the Red Cross getting involved, or some other charity where we can send donations?

[name not needed]

2. 80,000?

Holy shit. That's all but 9,000 people.

[democratreformed]

5. Reports said 90% of the buildings were damaged.

Devastating.

[tandot]

3. we are currently collecting food, water, first-aid products, and money

here at our University. We have a few students from the Caribbean Islands here and one of our Research Assistants is from Grenada. She was finally able to reach her family and all of them survived.

She also said that most houses are damaged or destroyed and that looters took everything from her family that the hurricane didn't destroy. This is utterly disgusting.

[Bluebear]

4. Evidently it is a totally lawless society at the moment

Looting, vigilantes, armed gangs stealing from stores even when the shopkeeper is there. Gee I wonder if * will do anything to help our Caribbean neighbor.

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. How was your brother able to get in touch with you?

Did he find a working phone? I am certain that you were relieved to hear from him.