United Nations, Jul 11 (IANS): The United Nations, in collaboration with its partners, has launched a response plan calling for $9 million to support nearly 43,000 people impacted recently by Hurricane Beryl in two Caribbean countries, a UN spokesman said.

Of the $9 million, $5 million will be used to assist 24,000 people in Grenada, and $4 million will support 19,000 people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Wednesday.

The response plan, launched Tuesday night, aims to address the immediate needs of those affected by the hurricane, Dujarric added at the daily briefing.

Assessments are ongoing despite access challenges due to power cuts and infrastructure damage, and the response plan will be updated as necessary to reflect new information and evolving needs, he said.

He added by saying that humanitarians emphasise the significance of acting quickly to meet the urgent needs of those impacted, especially in light of the likelihood of an extremely active hurricane season this year.