Hurricane Beryl Threatens Nearly 3 Million Children in the Caribbean, Said Unicef
Damages caused by the Hurricane Beryl, July 2024 Photo: @BBC
July 3, 2024 Hour: 7:47 pm
They lie in nations already affected or in the future trajectory of the devastating hurricane.
In the face of the passage of Hurricane Beryl through the Caribbean Sea, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Wednesday that around three million children and adolescents are at risk and urged States to provide them with protection.
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In a statement, UNICEF Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Karin Hulshof recalled that the meteor, which moves between categories 4 and 5 on the Saffir Simpson scale, devastated areas of Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados and Saint Lucia with the combined scourge of strong winds, significant tides and persistent rains that destroyed homes, schools and other settings linked to children’s lives.
The official said that as Hurricane Beryl continues its journey through the Caribbean Sea, «every effort must be made to avoid the loss of life and keep children safe».
He noted that UNICEF teams, deployed throughout the Caribbean, «are ready to support national efforts for humanitarian assistance to needy families».
He added that the agency and its partners, prior to the Beryl emergency, provided supplies such as medical kits, educational kits, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, among others.
According to Hulshof, «it is essential to invest in national capacities to prepare for and respond to climate-related emergencies and provide essential services to children», a vital issue for small nations such as the Caribbean, very exposed to frequent disasters of this kind.
According to UNICEF, in Latin America and the Caribbean a total of 1.9 million people, including half a million minors, are affected each year by disasters.
Autor: CC
Fuente: UNICEF-EFE
