Hurricane
Charley has swept through Cuba and is heading north towards
the American state of Florida, where the authorities have declared
a state of emergency and nearly one million people have been
urged to leave their homes.
The hurricane, carrying winds of 165 km an hour, made landfall
in Cuba near the southern port of Batabano and passed within
25km of the capital, Havana.
The Cuban authorities say Charley has caused widespread damage
to property, but reported no fatalities. This has been due in
no small measure to the disaster preparedness measures put in
place by the Cuban authorities and the Cuban Red Cross.
Charley had already hit the Cayman Islands on Thursday morning,
but there were no reports of major damage or injuries. One person
was reportedly killed when the hurricane brought heavy rain,
flooding and landslides to Jamaica on Wednesday night.
As these countries are regularly affected by the annual hurricane
season, contingency plans were in place well before the storm
hit and shelters were ready to receive those who might be affected.
Hurricane Charley has demonstrated again the important role
national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies play in acting
as auxiliaries to the public authorities of their countries
in the humanitarian field, whether it be in the health sector
or, as in this case, in relief and disaster preparedness activities.
The Jamaica Red Cross (JRC), for example, established an Emergency
Operation Centre following a meeting with the National Emergency
Management Office, and placed branches on alert.
Three JRC community disaster response teams, funded by the European
Commission’s humanitarian fund, ECHO, were on standby
to lend assistance. The Red Cross, which is responsible for
managing hurricane shelters in Jamaica, was especially vigilant
in flood-prone districts.
In the Cayman Islands, a Red Cross shelter was prepared in George
Town in anticipation of the coming storm.
In Cuba, where some 200,000 people were evacuated from western
regions, disaster preparedness measures again paid dividends,
as they did in 2002, when, despite the island being battered
by Hurricanes Isidore and Lily, no deaths or injuries were reported.
Once again prompt and well-organized evacuation procedures and
shelter management seem to have saved lives.
The Federation’s Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU),
its delegation in Panama and office in Port of Spain have been
monitoring the hurricane, ensuring that the right preparations
have been made and offering support where necessary. Red Cross
disaster management personnel throughout Central America and
the Caribbean are on standby, awaiting further developments.
Meanwhile, the American Red Cross is urging residents along
Florida’s west coast to heed the advice of officials and
prepare for evacuation. The Red Cross has been advising residents
on what to do in the event of the hurricane hitting their community.
It is also preparing to open shelters in the affected areas
– between the Florida Keys and Tampa Bay. Tropical Storm
Bonnie is also expected to hit Florida in the coming days.
Florida officials say this could be the state’s biggest
evacuation request since Hurricane Floyd in 1999.
“It is vital that we work to keep our families safe by
preparing for hurricane season before it even starts. The time
to prepare is now. Taking a few moments to discuss some simple,
common-sense preparedness steps with your family can save your
life and the lives of the ones you love,” Joe Becker,
Vice President of Response at the American Red Cross, explains.
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Cuban man in the southern town of Batabano boards up his
windows in anticipation of Hurricane Charley’s arrival
(REUTERS/Claudia Daut/courtesy AlertNet)
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