Paloma delivers devastating blow to Cayman Islands, relief efforts underway

~~Adz:Left~~GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – WITH no major injuries or deaths reported, Caymanians are endeavouring to pick up the pieces of their lives from the trail of destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Paloma.

Late Friday evening (Nov. 7) and the following day, the category four catastrophic storm swept across the islands causing wide-spread devastation leaving infrastructural damage to the roadways and extensive damage to an approximate 90 percent of the buildings on the islands.

An article published by one of the Cayman Islands’ media houses, Cayman Net News, informs that Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were the hardest hit and relief efforts began shortly after the storm had passed.

The media house states that evacuation of persons from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman to Grand Cayman has become “a major concern” owing to the “severe housing shortage caused by the category four hurricane that pounded” the islands on Saturday.

Cayman Airways, the Cayman Islands national carrier, according to Cayman Net News, has offered and is offering free flights to persons wishing to get from the Cayman Brac and Little Cayman to Grand Cayman.

Leader of Government Business, the Hon. Kurt Tibbetts, as explained by Cayman Net News, said that priority has been placed on providing humanitarian aid for the first couple of days following the storm, including provision of food, water and shelter, the re-establishment of the water, fuel and electricity supplies on the sister islands and the re-establishment of the islands’ roads.

He said this was vital in getting essential operations, such as the health services, up and running as soon as possible: “Once we have stabilised the situation, we will turn our minds next to recovery efforts related to property damage and repairs to property…The Cayman Islands Government was working feverishly to coordinate the country’s emergency response following the devastation caused by Hurricane Paloma’s 140 mph winds.”

The Brac airport was under water, resultant of the storm, and works were being done to bleed dry the runway so as to allow Cayman Airways’ aircraft to land. However, according to Caribbean Net News, “Two police vessels - the Defender and the Protector - were dispatched to the Brac on Sunday with police personnel and relief supplies. Mr. Tibbetts added that three supply boats would set off for the Brac at first light on Monday. The Royal Navy ship, the RFA Wave Ruler, was at Cayman Brac with relief materials on Sunday and Royal Navy personnel were assisting local authorities with emergency coordination.”

Some 1 000 persons, just about half of The Brac’s population, have been displaced as a result of the storm and, according to the Cayman Compass, Sister Islands MLA Moses Kirkconnell, “We will now push for a recovery period that makes the Brac a better place to live, gives a better quality of life and gives us a sustainable way forward.”