Help Us Stay Ahead of the Storm
ShelterBox is no stranger in dealing with floods and the devastating consequences they can bring.
Right now, we have a team in Nepal assessing the need for shelter following monsoon flooding that washed away thousands of homes. Halfway around the world in Colombia, our partners are distributing ShelterBoxes to families whose villages were destroyed by ferocious mudslides.
Whatever the emergency, we have the solution. From providing safe spaces to rest and recuperate, to the tools to rebuild a family home, we work closely with communities to provide them with exactly what they need.
The NOAA has predicted the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season could be the most active season since 2010. We are currently halfway through the hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, and ShelterBox is currently responding to one major hurricane and closely monitoring two additional storms.
Help us stay ahead of the storm and read more about our responses below.
Nepal
More than 1,200 people are reported to have died across India, Bangladesh and Nepal with 40 million affected by the devastation caused by severe monsoon rains and flooding.
ShelterBox is closely monitoring and currently has a team in Nepal to assess the damage.
This is the heaviest rainfall to hit the southern regions of Nepal in 15 years. The full extent of damage is still unknown as many areas have been made inaccessible. A ShelterBox Response Team is currently on the ground, reaching the hardest hit communities and assessing the need for shelter and other essential aid items.
Hear from ShelterBox Operations Rotary Liaison, Tim Hedges, who is part of the team in Nepal assessing the need for aid after flash flooding and landslides have resulted in thousands of families being displaced.
Hurricane Harvey
A ShelterBox Response Team is in Texas after Hurricane Harvey devastates Texas and Louisiana. Hurricane Harvey brought over a year’s worth of rain to the region, forcing more than 30,000 people from their homes.
ShelterBox is working with our colleagues in the USA, along with local authorities and Texan-based ShelterBox Response Team Members to understand how we can help. As the flooding is covering large swathes of land and is set to worsen in the coming days, families are being evacuated to collective centres. While our usual ShelterBoxes and ShelterKits are not appropriate for the current situation, we are helping to make people more comfortable and secure.
We’re sending hundreds of smaller, simpler tents from unused stock in our Cornish warehouse to be used inside. They will offer families a private space to help recover from such a traumatic event, while dealing with challenging circumstances.
This is an approach that we used to support people following the Japanese Tsunami in 2011. The tents will also be used as spaces for counselling families and to provide rest spaces for aid workers and emergency services.
Monitoring
Bangladesh: The same monsoon rains and flooding that are impacting Nepal are affecting millions in Bangladesh. It is estimated that 8 million people have been affected and 140 people are reported to have died. ShelterBox is monitoring and communicating with NGOs on the ground to see how we may help in the region.
Tropical Storm Lidia: Lidia formed in the Pacific Ocean and has made its way to the coast of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. The storm has moved onshore and brings the threat of flooding and strong winds. ShelterBox Operations continues to monitor Lidia as it continues moving north.
Hurricane Irma: Hurricane Irma has strengthened into a category 3 hurricane and is heading west towards the Caribbean. The US National Hurricane Center reports that Irma has sustained winds of 155 km/h and we will continue to track its movement as it threatens the Caribbean and possibly the United States.
