The National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) is working with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to finalise arrangements on how countries will be assisting those states affected by Hurricane Melissa.

NODS personnel have been in constant communication with CDEMA and other regional organizations to work out the necessary logistics for a joint response to Jamaica, Haiti and the Bahamas which were affected by the Hurricane earlier this week.

Further information will be made available to the public.

In the meantime, an official needs list has been issued by Jamaica and the link is supportjamaica.gov.jm/needs. NODS will issue a needs list for local public support for the affected countries once the transportation logistics have been finalised.

Meanwhile, CDEMA has put members of various assessment and response teams on standby including police, fire and defence force personnel from Antigua and Barbuda who are part of the Caricom Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU).

The CDRU offers immediate humanitarian assistance, facilitate logistics, support emergency telecommunications and coordinate national and regional relief efforts. – the end –