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WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 /Standard Newswire/ -- The U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced it will provide $50,000 to support the relief efforts of the Government of Belize (GOB) arising from Hurricane Dean. In addition, USAID will provide emergency relief supplies, valued at approximately $50,000, to the Belize Red Cross for hurricane-affected populations in northern Belize. These supplies include 500 wool blankets, 1,056 hygiene kits, 100 rolls of plastic sheeting, and 5 chainsaw kits. The total value of the assistance is $100,000.
Hurricane Dean made landfall approximately 40 miles north of the Belize-Mexico border as a category five storm. According to the GOB, high winds and heavy rains resulting from the hurricane have caused significant damage to housing and agriculture in the northern districts of Corozal and Orange Walk, which the GOB declared disaster areas on August 21. Preliminary assessments by the GOB report that the hurricane damaged more than 1,500 houses, rendering approximately 2,000 people homeless in northern districts and causing an estimated $5 million in damage. Initial aerial estimates also indicate that the storm destroyed the entire export papaya crop, valued at more than $20 million, and caused at least $1.2 million in damage to sugar crops, affecting the livelihoods of small farmers.
On August 23, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Leonard A. Hill declared a disaster in Belize due to the impact of Hurricane Dean. USAID has a two-member emergency team in Belize which has assessed and identified needs in conjunction with the GOB's National Emergency Management Organization, and U.S. Embassy staff have conducted aerial assessments utilizing U.S. military helicopters.
For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance programs, please visit: www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/.
