Taiwan gives EC$600,000 to St Vincent for disaster relief

August 5, 2011 Leave a Comment

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves (L) receives the EC$600,000 disaster relief cheque from Ambassador Shih. (Photo: Office of the PM)
St Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday received EC$600,000 from Taiwan to help with rehabilitation in the north of country following torrential rain on April 11.
Taiwan ambassador to Kingstown, Weber Shih, presented a cheque for the amount to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves at a short ceremony at the Cabinet Room.
The monies are the first portion of a US$1.5 million dollar grant, which will be used to rehabilitate the bridge at Langley Park/Basin Hole in Georgetown and to provide for a river defence network in the area.
It’s the second contribution from the Taiwan, in relation to damage caused by the torrential rains of April 11.
Earlier this year, following a visit by Gonsalves to Taipei, the government received a grant of US$500,000 for relief and rehabilitation.

CNN Reports on SVG Floods

ttechsaviiy can't get to work because the bridge that connects his town to the rest of the country is destroyed. 'This is supposed to be the dry months. It has not stopped raining. It is a very fine drizzle but there is constant rain changing from heavy to light every few hours.'
- nancyt3, CNN iReport producer

iReport —
this is the worst disaster we have ever seen on this island , talking to the elderly ones they relate that they have never seen such catastrophe in this area. Persons had to be rescued from their houses, where the water was neck height. it was awful and it is not over because the forecast is rainy for the next few days . one woman's effort to escape the ferocious river was washed away and was taught to be dead by her family for up to two hours she was missing,She was eventually rescued.there is also no water and authorities have said it will remain so until maybe next week. truly devastating these flash floods.
update: one man was reportedly saved by climbing a tree and stayed there for four hours until they waters level dropped.

Rain Damage in SVG

Rains across most of the Caribbean today, more so in the Windward Islands have caused flooding in St. Lucia, Barbados and, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. However, it was St. Vincent and the Grenadines that suffered the most with landslide occurring on the Windward side of the island, causing disruption to communication, however the extent of the damages are not known as yet.

PM Ralph Gonsalves reported in TV Tues night that there was much damage to roads in the northeastern part of St. Vincent (Congo Valley to Fancy) from rain-caused landslides. Roads are clogged or impassable.