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Musicians rally to help hurricane victims

International Organization for Migration/Reuters A view shows damage caused by Hurricane Beryl on Union Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines International Organization for Migration/Reuters
Hurricane Beryl caused mass devastation on Union Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Musicians from across the West Midlands have joined forces to raise money for victims of Hurricane Beryl.

The category four storm caused major destruction as it swept through the Caribbean and southern US and killed at least 10 people.

As heavy rain and winds up to 130mph (215 km/h) battered the nations of St Vincent and Grenada and Jamaica, many were left without homes and access to food or utilities.

The fundraising event in Birmingham aims to help survivors trying to cope with the aftermath six weeks on.

BBC presenter Merisha Steveson with Mykal Brown standing next to a backdrop of the Birmingham skyline at night in a room with purple lighting
Mykal Brown, of Wassifa Showcase, hopes to raise as much as possible to help those affected by the category four storm

“They are still suffering from the outpour of Hurricane Beryl, they need a lot of help,” Mykal Brown MBE, the organiser and founder of Wassifa Showcase, told BBC Radio WM.

The Caribbean Hurricane Disaster Relief event sees a number of artists and DJs perform for free at the Legacy Centre of Excellence in Aston on Friday.

The venue, security and advertising have all been provided free of charge so all ticket proceeds can be donated.

Mr Brown added: “My family [in the Caribbean] is facing a shortage of water and electricity, it’s hard for them to get access to food and everyone is helping each other as best as they can and reaching out to families abroad.”

Reuters A woman walks through a debris-filled street in the Hastings neighbourhood after Hurricane Beryl passed in Bridgetown, Barbados Reuters
The powerful storm left many people without homes

As part the storm's destruction, across the Caribbean, hundreds of thousands of homes in Jamaica were left without power, communications and water supplies.

The storm raged from 28 June until 9 July.

Mr Brown commented: “It’s not out there in the media but we’re connected through families from the islands affected and we’re reaching out because we are descendants of the Caribbean.

“Everyone has put their best foot forward and all the proceeds will go to the affected areas.”

Wassifa Showcase - a sound system which became a pillar of the UK reggae scene - reached out to the entertainment venue as well as a host of performers to rally together for the cause.

The artists involved include Luv Injection, Levi Washington, Captain and Country Judah and Chique Squad.

Reuters A drone view of debris and the remnants of damaged houses in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl in St. Elizabeth Parish, JamaicaReuters
This drone shot shows the remains of homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl in St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica

Mr Brown said: “None of the money will get passed over to the state and lost in transitions, everyone from Birmingham who has put their energy into this project can see the output and I think that’s very important.”

“A lot of the music that we dance to worldwide comes from the Caribbean, Soca, Calypso, Reggae, and we’re all part of that so it’s not just about the people that are born there or are descended from there, the whole world should pay an interest to what is happening.”

Tickets can be found on the venue’s website.

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