Picking up the pieces after Irma and Maria
Hurricanes Irma and Maria were the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. Pummeling everything in their path, the storms caused massive damage to infrastructure and agricultural land across a dozen Caribbean islands and displaced tens of thousands of people. At the 2017 General Assembly, the Secretary-General expressed his deepest sympathies to all who were affected across the Caribbean, and also the United States. A few weeks on, emergency efforts continue, encompassing food, water, shelter and medicine deliveries. Recovery activities are scaling up, focusing on debris clearance, logistics support, and restoration of electricity and telecoms systems.