Hurricane Dorian slammed the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm, causing mass devastation, particularly in Great Abaco and Treasure Cay. As of now, the reported death toll for the Bahamas is clocking in at 43, though when looking at photos and videos coming out of the islands, it’s clear the toll may be higher as relief and cleaning efforts continue. Much of the hit areas are still underwater and whole swatches of buildings have been washed away or otherwise destroyed. This also makes it difficult to contact people or confirm their whereabouts. Right now, an estimated 70,000 people are homeless.
Remember: Dorian hit the Bahamas at 185 mph winds and with 18 to 23 feet of coastal storm surge, plus about three feet of rainfall. And on islands with limited high ground (and limited infrastructure), this is a far cry from simply bad weather. It’s a humanitarian crisis.
What’s one famous chef doing to help? What he does best: Providing food to the people who need it.
Chef José Andrés and his charity, World Central Kitchen, said they have begun delivering about 10,000 meals per day to people impacted by Dorian. And they’re not stopping there.
The charity hopes to reach 30,000 meals “per day in the coming days,” according to a charity spokesperson in conversation with The Hill. The same spokesperson confirmed that Andrés found a research ship to deliver more than “20,000 meals worth of ingredients” to the islands.
Andrés stationed himself about 80 miles away from the eye of the storm when it hit. It was around this time he first confirmed that he was there to help local officials with “feeding response.”
Here are some of his photo and video updates from Twitter:
He didn’t wait long to help, either. In fact, his first trip to the affected area was with 2,000 sandwiches and 1,000 oranges to Abaco on Tuesday by helicopter. Then, on Thursday, Andrés went from Nassau (which was not directly hit) to Green Turtle Cay also via helicopter. CBS News reports that the helicopter was filled with so much food and water, some had to be carried on the chef’s lap.
"We are going to deliver 7,500 meals. But for me, this is half of what we are supposed to be doing already," he told the station at the time.
Andrés is no stranger to help those in need after natural disasters. You might remember his similar efforts to feed survivors of Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Florence, and the California wildfires. Dorian—a storm that was undoubtedly magnified due to climate change—decimated vulnerable parts of the Bahamas and it’s imperative that the people (and animals) of the islands receive help and support to rebuild. It’s also imperative that we take action on climate change before it’s too late.