Taiwan pledges US$300,000 in aid to allies devastated by Hurricane Beryl

Taipei, July 4 (CNA) Taiwan's government has pledged a total donation of US$300,000 to two of its diplomatic allies in the Caribbean, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and Saint Lucia, which were hard hit by a major hurricane earlier in the week.

A donation of US$200,000 will be made to SVG, while NS$100,000 will be given to Saint Lucia, the government said, following reports of widespread damage in the two island countries after the passage of the record-breaking Hurricane Beryl on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said.

The total funds of US$300,000 will be donated to help the respective governments with their post-disaster relief efforts, MOFA said in a statement issued Wednesday.

Beryl, the first category 4 hurricane recorded in the Caribbean in the month of June, churned across the Windward Islands on Monday, packing winds of up to 240 kilometers per hour and wreaking extensive damage.

In its wake, two deaths were confirmed in SVG and two in Grenada, while countless homes and other structures were destroyed. Photos and videos of the damage show roofless and shattered houses, flooded streets, downed power lines and trees, and other debris scattered across large areas of the countries.

In its statement, MOFA said the Taiwan government has expressed concern to the prime ministers of its two affected allies -- SVG and Saint Lucia -- about the damage caused by the powerful storm.

MOFA on Wednesday also expressed sympathy, on behalf of Taiwan's government and its people, to the two allies and pledged support, on X, formerly Twitter.

"Our hearts are with those in the Caribbean who were devastated by catastrophic Hurricane Beryl. At this tragic time, we announce donations to #SaintVincentAndTheGrenadines & #SaintLucia for relief efforts. #Taiwan prays for a swift recovery for our allies," the post read.

So far all Taiwanese nationals in the two Caribbean countries -- expatriates, businesspersons, and the staff of the Taiwan embassies and technical missions -- have been confirmed as safe, MOFA said.