Georgia offers Caribbean island Dominica $30,000 natural disaster aid

Georgia is gifting $30,000 USD to a small Caribbean island to help it recover from a devastating tropical storm.

In late August tropical storm Erika slammed Dominica, causing flooding and mudslides that killed at least 20 and left more than 50 missing.

Georgia pledged to support the small nation in its recovery from the natural disaster.

The Georgian Government allocated $30,000 USD (more than 70 000 GEL) from the Government Reserve Fund for the stricken island. Official documentation confirming the aid has already been signed by Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

The aid will be given first to Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who will pass on the funds to the disaster-torn country.

In the days following the August 30 storm, Dominica’s Prime Minister pleaded for international aid to help rebuild the country after tropical storm Erika tore across the island, devastating villages, destroying bridges and leaving a reconstruction bill worth about $270 million – half the country’s annual GDP.

Meanwhile Georgia was well aware of the importance of international aid to deal with a natural disaster after its capital city Tbilisi was hit by a devastating flash flood in mid-June.