Hurricane Beryl | Press Kit

SAMARITAN’S PURSE EXPANDS EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR HURRICANE BERYL VICTIMS TO THREE HARD-HIT AREAS

Samaritan’s Purse has deployed a third emergency relief flight this week, this time to Jamaica, as the organisation’s response to Hurricane Beryl reaches multiple countries in the Caribbean.

Sydney, NSW, Jul. 6, 2024—Samaritan’s Purse has launched its third emergency relief flight to the Caribbean in less than a week, this time, delivering vital supplies to Jamaica as the island begins to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Beryl. Today’s flight carried out by the organization’s DC-8 cargo plane carried essential materials like tarps and hygiene kits which are crucial for families grappling with the storm’s aftermath. Additionally, seasoned members of the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) were also on board, ready to mobilize and conduct immediate assessments upon arrival and begin distributing the life-saving cargo where it is most needed.

Since Tuesday, Samaritan’s Purse has also conducted two additional airlifts that have carried an Emergency Field Hospital to be used on the flattened island of Carriacou in Grenada alongside thousands of rolls of tarp, solar lights, and multiple desalination units for fresh water provision.

“It is heartbreaking to see the devastation across the Caribbean caused by Hurricane Beryl,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “My prayer is that our Emergency Field Hospital, DART members, and the rest of these life-saving supplies will be a blessing to those who are suffering and remind them that God loves them and that they are not forgotten.”

Samaritan’s Purse is now operating across three island nations in the Caribbean: Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica. The ongoing response is utilising more than 100,000 pounds of imported aid that will provide shelter, clean water, and provide medical care. This effort is being conducted by over 50 Samaritan’s Purse staff in coordination with local church partners throughout the Caribbean.

SAMARITAN’S PURSE AIRLIFTS EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES TO GRENADA IN RESPONSE TO HURRICANE BERYL

Sydney, NSW, Jul. 4, 2024—Today, Samaritan’s Purse sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) along with nearly 22,000 kilograms of life-saving supplies to the Caribbean.

Our disaster response team in North Carolina stood up an Incident Management Team over the weekend as Hurricane Beryl began to strengthen, preparing to respond to the storm. Less than 24 hours after the hurricane made landfall, the Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 cargo plane departed Greensboro, NC. with 600 rolls of tarp, 3,000 solar lights, a desalination water unit, 300 collapsible jerry cans, and a mobile medical unit.

In addition to these emergency relief supplies, the cargo plane also transported 13 disaster response specialists to Grenada.

This rapid deployment and mobilisation of humanitarian aid and resources is aimed at providing critical support to the island communities and families anticipated to be the most affected by the storm. Most importantly, Samaritan’s Purse is deploying to bring help and the hope of Jesus Christ to families who are grappling with severe loss in the aftermath of the storm.

“Hurricane Beryl pummelled the Windward Islands, and left thousands of families in need of emergency relief,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “We started building out pallets of cargo before the hurricane even made landfall. Please join me in praying for the families who are in the path of this storm, and for our Samaritan’s Purse staff who will be serving them.”

Hurricane Beryl, which made landfall in Grenada as a Category 4 hurricane—the earliest on record—quickly grew in strength to a Category 5, bringing devastating floods, high-wind damage, and power outages to the Windward Islands. Samaritan’s Purse is preparing to distribute emergency shelter material and to set up water filtration systems in areas that have been heavily damaged and are now without access to clean water.

The organisation is coordinating with local church partners in the area that Samaritan’s Purse has worked with through its project Operation Christmas Child.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Contact for interviews:

Daniel Goh danielg@samaritanspurse.org.au

Meredith Percy meredithp@samaritanspurse.org.au

Mark Bennett, Executive Director of Samaritan’s Purse Australia/New Zealand is available for interviews