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Caribbean Hurricanes
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As the world's humanitarian leader, the United States remains committed to providing life- saving assistance when a disaster strikes. In response to three back-to-back major hurricanes – Irma, Jose, and Maria – that struck the Caribbean region during the catastrophic 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to provide immediate humanitarian assistance in close coordination with local authorities and humanitarian organizations on the ground.
How You Can Help
The best way to help those affected by a disaster overseas is to make a monetary donation to a reputable humanitarian organization working in the disaster zone.
As a U.S. government agency, USAID does not accept donations for its crisis response effort. If you wish to donate, you can contribute to the Hurricane Irma Relief Fund at GlobalGiving or to one of the organizations listed below:
Latest Updates
U.S. Response to Caribbean Hurricanes Infographic 
(pdf - 957k)
USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to respond to three back-to-back major hurricanes – Irma, Jose, and Maria – that struck the Caribbean region during the catastrophic 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The DART – which at its height comprised 54 people – remained flexible and nimble to respond to changing humanitarian needs, with disaster experts deployed to 11 countries over the course of the month-long response. In addition, USAID airlifted more than 185 metric tons of relief supplies, which helped an estimated 83,800 people.
Hurricane Irma—the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record—is traversing the Caribbean and has affected several island nations, including Antigua and Barbuda. USAID activates a Washington, D.C.-based RMT and a regional DART with staff in The Bahamas, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. USAID is coordinating relief operations with host governments, USG interagency partners, and other humanitarian actors.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) as Hurricane Irma - the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record - brings life-threatening rains, winds, and storm surges to the Caribbean. The DART, an elite team of disaster experts, currently has staff in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, and the Bahamas, who will coordinate with local authorities and humanitarian organizations on the ground to bring vital assistance to those affected by this hurricane and its aftermath. USAID has pre-positioned critical commodities in high-risk countries, including Haiti, to ensure relief supplies are immediately available to help communities in need.
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