Dominica 3 weeks after Hurricane Maria

Report from Dominca post- Hurricane Maria

Via Facebook

Here is a window into a small societal collapse. Island of Dominica after hurricane strike.

Post Hurricane Maria Report - Dominica - October 11th (3 weeks in)

We no longer have mobile connection at any of our positions. No way of knowing how long it will take to get a connection back in the west. In the meantime we have to go to the capital for all communications.

There is a general consensus among those we talk to here that the country is facing a full fledged economic collapse in addition to the humanitarian crisis that is already developing. The country was already at risk for a debt default. Now the infrastructure for the old economy is totally devastated, and previous cash flows are not coming back any time soon.

The food situation on the east coast is horrendous. Many official relief shipments are apparently being hoarded by those placed in charge of local distribution, and is being handed out only to select friends, or sold at ridiculous prices. Some grocery stores are open now, but again, money is not flowing. So those who most need relief are not getting it.

This is a ticking time bomb. There are elements in many villages which will resort to crime if their needs are not met soon.

With communications down across the majority of the country, and the government unable to coordinate effectively, many are starting to realize that to pull out of this situation we are going to have to organize our own solutions.

We have people on the outside coordinating food relief shipments that we will be distributing directly to the villages closest to us. We will expand this as far as resources allow.

Our core group is now operating like a semi-nomadic tribe at the moment. We divide our time between the east and the west. Doing our best to clean up, repairing what can be repaired, planting as much as possible.

We have finished clearing all but a small portion of the landslide from our eastern compound. Our goal is to have the space safe for children so that families can start returning within the next two months. To accomplish this, several families are going to have to share the same living space.

To volunteer with the recovery effort or for shipping information contact Sarah Subero for more information at:

+1 (705) 980-0515 or sara@beyondvitality.com