BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The Caribbean Development Bank, CDB, has announced that an Emergency Relief Grant of USD 200,000 is being made immediately available to the Government of Dominica in the wake of Tropical Storm Erika. Heavy rains from Erika impacted the island on Thursday causing loss of life and widespread devastation. The grant is being provided in accordance with the Bank' Disaster Management Strategy and Operational Guidelines, and is aimed at assisting the country in its response to the disaster. Emergency Relief Grants are coordinated through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, based on damage and needs assessments and in close coordination with the development community. Vice-President of Operations at CDB, Patricia McKenzie said: “We are saddened by the loss of life and how the disruption caused by this storm will affect the lives of Dominicans. We are in touch with the Government of Dominica; working with CDEMA and are standing by to provide concessionary financing, in addition to the grant, to help the country recover." Previously disbursed Emergency Relief Grants included assistance to St. Vincent following the Christmas Trough in December 2013; and to The Bahamas, Jamaica and Haiti following the passage of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In 2007 the ERG was also made available to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Relief Agency (CDERA) to assist several countries affected by Hurricane Dean.