The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) reported Tuesday that its response teams in Dominican Republic and Haiti prepare emergency assistance and food reserves for the most vulnerable communities in the path of the tropical storm Franklinwhich is expected to make landfall in the next few hours.
(See: Tropical Storm Franklin: How do heavy rains impact Colombia?)
In the Dominican Republic, some 125,000 people living in the possible path of the storm are “extremely vulnerable” to the dlandslides and flash floodsliving in poor and overcrowded settlements near rivers, streams and lagoons, according to a statement from the WFP regional office in Panama.
The United Nations agency noted that most of the Dominican Republic has been declared a “red alert” by the Emergency Operations Center, “since tropical storm Franklin is expected to make landfall in the early hours of August 23 “.
He stressed that Franklin is the sixth named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season (June-November) and the fourth tropical storm to be named in the last four days.
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Gabriela Alvarado, WFP representative in the Dominican Republic, said that “now more than ever preparation is key,” which is why this organization “is working hand in hand with the Dominican government to guarantee a timely and effective response.”
The UN body indicated in this regard that “it is ready to help the authorities assess the impact of the storm and the humanitarian needs among the communities affected by the disaster, including the use of drones and artificial intelligence.”
In Haiti, the statement details, they work together with the General Directorate of Civil Protection, to “plan for potential humanitarian food needs and has pre-positioned 120 tons of food at a newly built operations base in (the community of) Miragoane.”
It has also stockpiled food reserves for possible use in the greater Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitian area, and “stands ready to provide dry food rations and cash assistance to up to 100,000 people if needed.”
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Jean-Martin Bauer, WFP representative in Haiti, noted for his part that this country is among the “most vulnerable in the world when it comes to the effects of extreme weather. We know from experience how dangerous storms can have a devastating effect on the lives and livelihoods of Haitians.”
“During emergencies, every minute counts, which is why our team is working around the clock to prepare for Tropical Storm Franklin,” Bauer explained.
The authorities of the Dominican Republic ordered this Tuesday the closure of several airports in the countrydue to the advance of the tropical storm that, according to forecasts, will have its nucleus located over the country in the next morning and will be unloading abundant rains.
Haiti, for its part, awaits this Tuesday the arrival in a few hours of the Franklin in a yellow alert situation and with an eye on internally displaced persons, given their greater vulnerability.
EFE
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