An Angus man has been part of the emergency response to help Caribbean communities devastated by Hurricane Beryl.
Owen Jamieson from Arbroath was part of a major international volunteer relief effort focused on Grenada.
And he encountered the shocking destruction on the island of Carriacou where Beryl first made landfall on July 1.
Owen was part of a four-strong Disaster Arborist Response Team (DART) from the UK.
It is a charity which sends qualified arborists to disaster zones to support local communities.
The Angus man is a utilities manager with Fochabers-based Wakeley Tree Surgeons.
He’s due back home this weekend to what will be a hero’s welcome from family and friends.
90% of island homes destroyed
Owen said the scale of the Caribbean devastation had been immense.
“We are very privileged in the UK that we have never had to experience the tragedy and destructive effect of a Cat 4 hurricane,” he said.
“I felt as though I was in a position with the skills from work to be able to assist the people of Grenada.
“The hurricane destroyed 90% of the homes and displaced hundreds of people.
“And being right at the start of the hurricane season means this might not be their last.
“We were working alongside the Caribbean Defence Relief Unit and training them in chainsaw use.
“And we worked together to clear the windblown trees.
“It’s great to create capacity in the country and ensure they are more resilient if this happens again,” he said.
Skills legacy for future storms
Carriacou is the largest of the Grenadine Islands with a population of 6,000, but still only 12 square miles in area.
DART operations director Andy Macpherson said: “Being able to play even a small part in the clear-up and recovery on the island is a great honour.
“Storm Beryl has left a path of devastation in its wake.
“Storms devastate lives and a huge part of this is fallen trees which can disrupt power, communication and transportation links thereby hampering other aid agencies in delivering vital food, water and shelter.
“The team are working alongside local disaster management agencies to share skills and knowledge, building resilience and leaving a lasting legacy.”
A second DART team is flying out to take over the recovery mission.
DART is entirely made up of volunteers and operates solely from funds raised, supported by Arboricultural Association, Stein and Airlink.
For more information or to donate to this or future missions visit dartinternationaluk.org
Hurricane Beryl claimed 50 lives in its path from the Caribbean to America’s Gulf Coast earlier this month.
It broke meteorological records for its unusual location, intensity, and longevity.
The storm intensified from Cat 4 to become the earliest forming Cat 5 hurricane on record.
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