Ottawa man helping with Dorian relief effort

An Ottawa man who has made his home in the Bahamas for more than two decades is helping with relief efforts after avoiding the worst of Hurricane Dorian. 

Luc Lavallée first moved to the Bahamas 22 years ago, and for the past decade has been living on Great Abaco Island, south of Marsh Harbour — one of the hardest-hit areas.

He said his own community, Bahama Palm Shores, avoided the brunt of the storm, but is nevertheless affected by the devastation to the commercial hub.

"That's where the supermarket was, that's where everything was — the fuel, the pharmacy, everything you would want," Lavallée said.

He said relief supplies have been slow to arrive.

As a volunteer firefighter, Lavallée helped find shelter for a group of firefighters from Burnaby, B.C., there to help with the search and rescue effort. He said he's also been transporting water to UN operations on the island.

Lavallée said the devastation is the worst he's seen in two decades living on the islands. That includes losing his favourite restaurant, which has been reduced to rubble.

"It's only pegs that are left in the water," he said. "It affects you. It's not supposed to be like that. A hurricane is not supposed to do that kind of damage." 

The Canadian government has committed $500,000 in aid for humanitarian organizations including the Canadian Red Cross. 

Global Affairs Canada said 81 Canadians had been in contact to ask for consular support.

Canada is also deploying a CC-130J Hercules aircraft to provide airlift support to the Jamaican Defence Force's disaster assistance response team. 

Canada's disaster assistance team has been sent to Nassau, the Bahamian capital.