BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — The United Nations has announced a regional response plan to support communities in the Caribbean worst affected by Hurricane Beryl, which swept through the region last week, leaving a trail of death and devastation.

The response plan estimates initial requirements at US$9 million and targets support for about 43,000 people in Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines, with the UN noting that these estimates may change as detailed assessments are ongoing.

The plan aims to provide lifesaving multisectoral assistance, complementing government-led efforts, while ensuring the protection of women, girls and other vulnerable groups from gender-based violence.

It will also support the rapid delivery and resumption of essential services and livelihoods in affected areas, including restoring health, water and sanitation, education and agriculture services.

The UN said that gender sensitivity will be critical in analysing the needs, and in the response, as both countries have a significant proportion of female-headed households.

Nearly half of all households in Grenada, and 39 per cent in St Vincent and the Grenadines, are headed by women.

The UN noted that the region is also prone to high levels of violence against women and girls, with almost 39 per cent of women in Grenada having experienced violence in a relationship.

The initial UN humanitarian response is expected to be done in two main phases which may overlap in practice, depending on the situation on the ground. It said this approach will ensure that immediate needs are met while laying the groundwork for long-term recovery.

In the immediate term, humanitarians will work rapidly to expand the scope and scale of aid efforts, including rapid assessments, ramping up delivery, restoring key sectors such as health care, and water and sanitation, and addressing protection risks.

Focus will then shift to helping people resume their lives. This phase would include recovery and reconstruction, restoring livelihoods, building resilience, and transiting to longer-term activities.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres last week allocated US$4 million from the Organization’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), including US$1.5 million for Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Canada announced US$1 million in assistance, to be channeled through UN agencies and the Red Cross. It is also supporting the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.

OCHA also urged interested individual donors to make financial contributions to reputable charities or aid agencies and to refrain from in-kind donations, which may not correspond to identified needs or meet required quality standards, potentially creating administrative burdens and undermining local markets.

Contributions can also be made to CERF, the OCHA-UNDP Connecting Business Initiative or by supporting public advocacy and outreach. Support or contribution provided can be reported online to the Financial Tracking Service to ensure coherence and minimise duplication.

Hurricane Beryl was the strongest hurricane in history to form in June in the Atlantic Ocean. Initially a tropical depression, it rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm and briefly reached Category 5 status, with winds up to 240 km/h (150 mph).

UN World Meteorological Organization experts have warned of a “very intense” hurricane season this year, with near-record ocean temperatures and the shift to La Nina conditions.

The agency has predicted up to 25 named storms expected through November. Among them, eight to 13 could develop into hurricanes.