Dutch Navy ships active in Dominica
DOMINICA — The Dutch Navy ships Zr.Ms. Zeeland and Zr.Ms. Pelican are currently active in Dominica. At the request of the Dominica Government they have been rendering emergency relief after the passage of Hurricane Maria since last Friday. The emergency assistance they have been providing will most likely continue for another 7 days.
HMS Zeeland helped to assess the damage immediately after the passage of Huricane Maria. For this purpose a NH-90 helicopter was deployed. In addition to frequent medical evacuations – the counter currently stands at 46 – the helicopter is also being used in the distribution of food and water in difficult to reach areas inland.
Small, difficult to reach coastal sites are provided with food and water from the water by FRISC rubber boats and the crew of both the Zealand and the Pelikaan. In total, over 5000 food packages and 17,000 liters of water have been distributed in Dominica.
The Pelikaan has been collecting relief goods in Antigua. This is being done in close cooperation and coordination with aid organizations such as the World Food Program and the Pan American Health Organization. The Pelikaan is transporting these supplies to Dominica and, together with the Zeeland, they are taking care of the distribution of these relief goods.
Areas of responsibility
In order to provide the emergency assistance as well as possible, there are three areas of responsibility identified by the government in consultation with the existing relief organizations. The Dutch naval ships are responsible for the northwest side of Dominica. The French and Canadians have the southern and eastern side of Dominica.
Sint Maarten
The deployment of both Dutch Navy ships in Dominica is not at the expense of the relief efforts on Sint Maarten which continues undiminished. In the first few days after Hurricane Irma, several countries assisted in the emergency situation on Sint Maarten. The relief operation on Sint Maarten is making considerable progress now and there is a shift visible from providing emergency aid to reconstruction. With the arrival of Zr.Ms. Karel Doorman early October, a big step will be undertaken in the reconstruction efforts. The Karel Doorman has been loaded up with materials to support the reconstruction process.
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