REPORT from UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Published on 13 Sep 2017

• Irma has dissipated over the south-eastern United States on 12 September and is no longer a threat to islands in the Caribbean.

• Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, St Martin/St Maarten, the British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos are the most affected islands. Critical needs in supplies and support are being addressed around the clock.

• In the Dominican Republic and Haiti, local authorities are managing response and restoration to normal activities in the affected areas with local resources.

• Cuba withstood damage to 13 of its 15 provinces, reporting 10 deaths and damage to agriculture, water supply, and telecommunications.

• Humanitarian partners continue to work and coordination with regional organizations and local governments throughout the affected countries as needs assessments continue to reveal the range and depth of the needs caused by Irma.

Situation Overview

Early remote assessments estimate economic losses totaling US$10,000,000,000 across the affected islands.

Assessments from severely damaged islands with difficult access, such as Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos, are now coming in and being analyzed – early reports indicate critical needs and affected emergency response capacities that require support.

In Anguilla, authorities are requesting to partners and stakeholders that incoming relief supplies and personnel be cleared with the NEOC to adequately plan for logistics or be denied entry. Similarly, authorities in Antigua and Barbuda note the capacity of local supermarkets to supply food on the island of Antigua, which was largely untouched by Irma.

In territories with localized damage such as the Dominican Republic and Haiti, local authorities have been managing the situation with national emergency management protocols and resources. Several organizations have mobilized resources and personnel to assist local authorities and anticipate that existing capacities within the country will suffice in responding to the effects of Irma.

Cuba was the last country in the Caribbean to suffer the effects of Irma. Reports from the Government indicate a variety of damages and needs in the affected territories, as well as loss of life (10). Waters are beginning to recede and the country is following Civil Defense Force response measures. Early assessments from the government indicate medium to long-term needs in the agriculture sector as many vital crops in the affected provinces were lost to the storm

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:
To learn more about OCHA’s activities, please visit http://unocha.org/.
SOURCE: http://reliefweb.int/report/antigua-and-barbuda/caribbean-hurricane-irma-situation-report-no-5-13-september-2017