US contributes to hurricane relief

The US government, through USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance will today be handing more than US$300,000 worth of relief assistance to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).



The donation is expected to help the ODPEM with relief efforts following the passage of Tropical Storm Gustav.



Among the items being donated are blankets, hygiene kits, water containers and rolls of plastic sheeting for shelters.



The US government will also be donating fuel to conduct further aerial damage assessments and relief distribution to marooned communities.



The Spanish government is also set to make its contribution to the Post Gustav recovery.



The Spanish embassy said it would be handing over a 7 tonne shipment of blankets, hygiene kits, plastic sheetings and tents to the ODPEM tomorrow.