With thousands of Canadians left in the wake of Hurricane Irma, Global Affairs Canada said Sunday it is working “around the clock” to ensure their safety and bring them home as soon as possible.
Reid Sirrs, director general of security and emergency management for Global Affairs Canada, said at least 9,000 Canadians remain in the storm-affected region and 348 have requested assistance. The majority of them are seeking travel assistance.
No Canadians have been killed or critically injured in connection with the devastating storm, which has taken the lives of at least 24 people in the Caribbean.
Sirrs said Global Affairs is working closely with local authorities, commercial airlines and cruise ships to address the “evolving situation.”
Irma has uprooted trees, knocked out power and levelled entire communities throughout the Caribbean region. Some Canadian travellers have reported being holed up in hotels with little food and water as looters pillage the devastation. In Florida, some Canadian expats have chosen to ride out the storm.
Global Affairs said it’s working on bringing Canadian travellers home, and that priority will be given to “those most vulnerable.”
Sirrs added that anyone in the region who is in a safe area with food and water should “consider staying put.”
The American military has sent in at least five warships, helicopters and troops to the region to help with emergency response, and the Netherlands has dispatched its own navy vessels and aircraft to St. Maarten.
Asked whether Canada will send in its military, Sirrs said Global Affairs has been in touch with the Department of National Defence “in terms of securing those assets.”
“We are working with all viable options,” he said.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Sunday night that Canada’s Disaster Assessment Team (CDAT) will be sent to the region to assess the damage and evaluate how the government can provide assistance. The team is expected to be dispatched Monday morning and will include military officials and officers from Global Affairs.
CDAT is deployed as a preliminary step to evaluate a disaster zone on the ground and evaluate what type of help, if any, the government should provide.
Canadians in areas hit by Irma are advised to monitor local news and weather reports and follow instructions from local authorities, including evacuation orders.
Anyone in need of emergency assistance is asked to contact Global Affairs through its special Hurricane Irma website, email SOS@international.gc.ca or call 613-996-8885.
