Panama – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has deployed staff to support the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and to support the people and government of the Bahamas as they begin the recovery from the devastating impact of the strongest hurricane in the Bahamas’ history.
Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm, made landfall in the Bahamas on Sunday as one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record — maximum sustained winds reached 185 mph with some gusts of up to 220. The full scale of the storm is not yet known since the island is still underwater prohibiting landing of flights and only initial aerial assessments are possible at this time.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and the impact on people in the Bahamas. We will work to support their prompt recovery and strengthen their livelihoods and resilience,” said UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Luis Felipe López Calva.
Preliminary reports indicate that Abaco and Grand Bahamas are the most affected areas with massive flooding, damaged roofing and downed power lines. Dorian is the fourth named storm of the 2019 hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
Contact information:
In Panama:
Vanessa Hidalgo, Communications Specialist, UNDP, +1 646 3389462 (cell) Vanessa.hidalgo@undp.org
In New York:
Adam Cathro, adam.cathro@undp.org, +1 917 915 9725
In Jamaica:
Gillian Scott, gillian.scott@undp.org +1 876 509 0724