The United Kingdom is ramping up its assistance to Caribbean nations devastated by Hurricane Beryl, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced. The UK government has pledged up to £500,000 in additional aid to provide immediate relief to those affected by the storm.

Hurricane Beryl, which made history as the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, caused widespread destruction across several Caribbean islands earlier this week. In response, the UK has dispatched 800 emergency shelter kits, capable of housing up to 4,000 people, to Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines. These supplies, along with 1,620 water storage buckets, were pre-positioned in the region as part of the UK’s disaster preparedness plans.

Foreign Secretary Lammy stated, “Our thoughts remain with those who have lost loved ones, their homes or have been left without power. This funding will help support disaster recovery efforts, as part of a swift and coordinated response in the region.” He added, “That such a storm has developed so early in the season shows that we are facing a climate emergency and must act now.”

In addition to financial and material aid, the UK has responded to a request from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) by providing support for the deployment of regional teams. These teams will assist national disaster offices with emergency operations, relief and logistics management, telecommunications, security issues, and sectoral assessments.

The Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Trent has arrived in the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory, to offer assistance to affected communities. Two specialist Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Rapid Deployment Teams have also been sent to the region to provide consular assistance to British nationals and support the humanitarian effort.

This emergency response is part of the UK’s commitment to supporting Caribbean countries in resilience to climate change and natural disasters. The UK-Caribbean Infrastructure Fund has invested £350 million in climate-resilient projects across the region, including ports, roads, and water systems.

The UK government has also been proactive in supporting disaster preparedness in the Caribbean, including the development of Disaster Risk Finance strategies and investments in insurance initiatives to enable faster recovery for affected communities.

As the Caribbean begins its recovery from Hurricane Beryl, the UK’s swift response underscores the importance of international cooperation in addressing the growing challenges posed by extreme weather events.