A number of Grenadians living overseas have been finding it hard to get information about their relatives' welfare following the devastating passage of Hurricane Ivan. Many have e-mailed us asking for specific details. BBC Caribbean Radio's correspondent in St. George's, Michael Bascombe, answers some of these e-mails. Hurricane Ivan devastated Grenada Q: I want to know if there is a helpline in Grenada that I can call to see if my family members are safe? Michael Bascombe: No, there isn't and I don't think that they (overseas Grenadians) should really be panicking. The authorities are trying as hard as possible to get telecommunications and other utilities back up and running. So far there has been assistance from some regional countries to help in this process, and there's also the issue of getting food and clothing to those in need. But before they can do that they have to restore law and order becuase over the past few days there has been widespread looting and this has really affected any sort of operation in terms of giving assistance. Q: What about the students at the St. George's university? Where are they, and what has happened to the university? MB: As far as I know the Atlantic side of the university got a battering from some of the high seas and the waves but so far we've heared that they (the students) are safe. NOTE: The St. George's University issued a press release on Friday to say that the university is 'intact' and a 'target date of Tuesday, 28 September has been set for the resumption of classes.' Q: I'm concerned about a friend of mine. She was on a boat by herself and was due to stay at the St. George's Yacht Club. Was the yacht club destroyed? MB: I wouldn’t say destroyed. But I know it got a severe battering because a lot of the yachts which were on dry dock were damaged and those on the water were thrown onto the land itself. To talk about fatalies and casualities - I can’t give that because again - it's difficult to collate data because of state of the telecoms network. Even the police are still only confirming that there are only 12 fatalities. Q: How soon will tourists trapped on the island be able to leave? Will the airport be re-opened soon? MB: There are flights coming out of Grenada, though they're not commercial flights. The flights have been basically for the military and other teams assisting in relief efforts. The British Royal Navy is helping to clear the airport and they were hoping to have commercial flights resumed by this weekend. undefined People there are using boats to come around to the city because of problems with the roads Michael Bascombe, Grenada correspondent Q: Can you please tell us more about what happened in places like Grenada's sister isle Carriacou, and the villages of St. Mark and St. John’s? MB: I spoke to a reporter in Carriacou and in Petite Martinique, both were lashed hard from Ivan. Many houses lost roofs. It's difficult to get information out of St. John's right now because it has been cut off from the city area. People there are using boats to come around to the city, because of problems with the roads and nothing at all is coming out of St. Mark just yet. NOTE Grenadians overseas who wish to leave messages for their relatives by radio can telephone +1-800-744-8222. This special toll free number has been set up by the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation. CBC 900AM and Radio Tambrin of Tobago 92.1 FM have started broadcasting to Grenada.