HURRICANES AS A HAZARDS

Hurricane: a weather system, consisting of a well defined eye and strong winds exceeding 120km/h and
can cause destruction to man and his environment. Occur from June to November and the size is about
1000 km wide in diameter.

Stages of a Hurricane:
1st Tropical Disturbance /2nd Tropical wave /Easterly Wave-
-a trough/ belt of low pressure which occurs over Tropical areas accompanied by heavy rain, low
pressure (1016 mb), associated with cumulus and thick cumulonimbus clouds bringing thunderstorms,
with wind speeds between 15-20 km/h

-symbol-

Tropical Depression-
-not a fully developed cyclone with no eye, associated with thundery weather and heavy; low pressure
(1005-1010 mb). Winds blow anti-clockwise with wind speeds of 62 km/h or less cumulus and
cumulonimbus clouds and thunder storms.

-symbol-

Tropical Storms-
-an intense weather system, low pressure (990-1000 mb), a developed centre or eye with wind blowing
in a rotary, anti-clockwise direction accompanied by wind speeds of 63 km/h-119 km/h or more,
torrential rain from cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds.

-symbol-

Hurricane-
-Weather system, consisting of well defined eye, and strong winds exceeding 120km/h with atmospheric
pressure less than 990 mb , wind is blowing in an anticlockwise direction, cumulus, and towering
cumulonimbus clouds which bring extended thunderstorms.

-symbol-
Measuring the impact of a hurricane :
The Saffir-Simpson Scale-
-Used to measure the extent of the impact caused by the hurricane based on wind speed

-Divided into five categories 1-5 with five being the level that caused the greatest damage

-e.g. Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans

Wind speed and Damage with each stages of a hurricane

Category/ Stage Wind Speed & Level of Destruction Example
Strength
Category/Stage 1 119-153 km/h -minimal coastal flooding Dolly- 2008
74-95 m/h -minor damage to buildings,
infrastructure and utilities poles
Category/Stage 2 154-177 km/h -moderate damage to buildings Frances- 2004
83-95 m/h -coastal flooding
-trees become projectiles
Category/Stage 3 178-208 km/h -extensive flooding Jeanne- 1995
111-129 m/h -small structures and crops
destroyed
-routes/roads cut off
-large buildings battered
-damage to infostructure
-domestic water shortage
Category/Stage 4 209-251 km/h -extensive damage to houses and Katrina- 2005
130-156 m/h buildings (to roof structure)
-vegetation and crops destroyed
-greater damage to infostructure
-utility services disrupted for days
-roads cut off
-domestic water shortage
-food shortages can occur
-pollution and loss of life/ injury
Category/Stage 5 ≥252 km/h -catastrophic destruction with total Ian- 2022
>156 m/h destruction in some places
-houses and buildings blown over
or away
-high level flooding exceeding in
the coastal areas
-vegetation and crops destroyed
-utility services disrupted for days
-roads cut off
-domestic water shortages
-food shortage for long periods
-pollution and loss of life/ injury
Naming a Hurricane
-The National Hurricane Centre does not control the naming of the tropical storms but the World
Meteorological Organization names the Atlantic hurricanes.

-There is an alternate list of male and female names (21) which are in alphabetical order and are used on
a six year rotation.

-Easterly waves and Tropical depressions are assigned a number, while Tropical Storms are given a name
which is carried through if it develops into a Hurricane.

-Names are retired ONLY is if the storm and or hurricane is so deadly and or costly that the future use of
the name on a different storm would be inappropriate.

Weather conditions associated with the passage of a hurricane

Ahead of the hurricane :Distance (70-100Km)
Weather is clam with gentle winds from the North and humidity is high. Air feels hot and sticky.
Temperature are high and pressure begins to fall 1006mb. Cumulus Clouds begin to form and showers
develop. Wind begins increase in speed.

As the Hurricane Passes /Front of the vortex (30-50Km)

Pressure falls rapidly. Temperature falls. Wind speeds increases over 100km/hr. Cumulonimbus clouds
with thunder and torrential rain (250mm/day) with blowing from the North west.

Eye (15-50 km)

Around the eye the wind speeds are high, usually around 118Km/hr. In the Eye, the wind drops suddenly
creating a calm with light winds blowing around 10-20 km/hr. There may be no rain. Pressure is usually
low 985mb, Temperatures in the Eye is around ~ 2 degrees higher than the rest of the Hurricane. The
Sun makes a brief appearance. There are clear skies with some scattered clouds as there is strong
downward current of air with little or no condensation.

Back of the vortex (30-50Km)

The onslaught begins with hurricane force winds over 100 km/hr and torrential rain. Cumulonimbus
clouds are present. Winds now blow in opposite direction South East. Temperature drops again 28°C but
pressure begins to rise 1010mb

As the hurricane moves away (70-100km)

Pressure and temperature rise. Rain decreases to showers and some sunny intervals. Winds decrease.

Conditions return to normal.

Examining the effect of a hurricanes

-Storm Surges

-Flooding

-Loss of Life and Property

-Damage to Vegetation

Storm Surges-a large dome of water that extends about 80 to 100 kilometres wide and 6 metres high,
devastating coastal settlements and communications as it sweeps a shore.

-Storm surges can account for a sizeable proportion of hurricane damage to property and are the chief
cause of loss of life in hurricanes. Streets and low-lying areas are flooded.

-Rivers burst their banks and overflow. Farmers face great losses as crops are under water.

-Storm surges destroyed hotels in Negril in Jamaica in 2004

Flooding
-As hurricanes approach the coastline, there is torrential rain with flooding and mudslides.

-If densely populated coastal areas are flooded, there is often loss of life as inhabitants are swept away in
floodwaters.

-Drainage systems, especially in cities are unable to cope with the high volumes of water.

-Crops and livestock are lost causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost

-Hundreds of thousands of homes can be destroyed. The entire infrastructure may be destroyed as when
hurricanes struck Honduras and Belize in 2005.

-Floodwaters in Haiti contributed to loss of lives of some 2000 people in 2004 Hurricane Jeanne.

Loss of Life
-Falling trees and buildings lead to loss of lives. Roofing materials and objects become flying missiles.

-In 2004, hurricane Ivan caused the death of some 70 people in Grenada, Jamaica, Santo Domingo and
Tobago; houses were reduced to rubble. It destroyed 90% of homes in Grenada.
Loss of Property
-Roofs are stripped from houses, depending on the strength and speed of the hurricane.

-Many building are destroyed as debris and trees are flung against them. Trees are uprooted.

-Concrete walls are blown down, roofs collapse and walls are torn from homes. Yards are littered with
debris.

-In 2004, hurricane Ivan, it destroyed 90% of homes in Grenada. It also destroyed 7000 homes in the
Bahamas and 8000 houses in Jamaica. Residential populations were displaced.

-People are also displaced when their homes are damaged, especially in high populated areas.

Loss of Crops
-Crops can be destroyed agricultural economics that is a major earner in most Caribbean countries.

-In Grenada, Ivan in 2004 destroyed nutmeg, coffee and banana plantations were destroyed up to 90%

Casse Study:
-Hurricane Ivan
-When: September 2004: Category 4

-Affected: Barbados, Grenada, Tobago, The Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Cuba, Hati

-70 lives lost in the Caribbean

-Over 14000 homes destroyed as the Grenada, 176 in Barbados, 8000 Jamaica

-18000 people were left homeless

-Almost every building in the capital St. George’s was damaged or destroyed

-75 out 0f 77 schools in Grenada were damaged or destroyed

-Widespread damage to crops resulting to 90% Grenada

-Some hotels were damaged Negril, Jamaica

-Electricity supplies were distributed and thousands were left without power.

Hurricane Beryl July 2024

Social: Loss of life

- In Grenada (2 in. Carriacou), 5 people lost their lives, 6 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and 4 in
Jamaica.
Social: Housing

- Virtually every structure in Carriacou, Petite Martinique in Grenada and on Union Island, Cannonau
(98%) and Mayreau in the St, Vincent and the Grenadines were damaged or destroyed, where High
winds tore entire roofs from houses and in some cases, blew buildings completely off theirfoundations.

- Jamaica had damage to roofs and windows in severely affected areas and some houses have collapsed.

- This caused persons to be displayed, where in St. Vincent and the Grenadines 1045 were in 45 shelters,
177 in 10 shelters in Jamaica and 500 in Grenada.

Social: Buildings and Infrastructure

- In Carriacou, Petite Martinique in Grenada and on Union Island, Cannonau and Mayreau in the St,
Vincent and the Grenadines there were damage to water, electricity, communications and logistics

-Heath infrastructure: In Union Island, the hospital was inundated by rainwater causing loss of essential
medical equipment.

- Schools that served as shelters were also damaged and or destroyed. In St. Vincent, 2 schools needed
sanitation and in Union island the school was damaged and since it served as a shelter people stayed
under the core structure.*

- Palm Island suffered extensive damage to the island's desalination plant.

Economic Loss: Agriculture/ Farming

- In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there was significant destruction of crops, while the damage on
Union Island was pegged at almost 100 per cent, with overall damages to the investment, infrastructure,
crops, and livelihoods in the vicinity of tens of millions of dollars.

Economic Loss; Tourism

-Palm Island suffered extensive damage to the resort and Grenada saw a 14% decline and Jamaica with a
24% drop.

Economic Loss: Fishing Industry

- Fishing: the fishing industry in Barbados, was "severely damaged" with 1/3 of the Bridgetown fishing
harbour being destroyed and more than 200 fishing vessels damaged or destroyed

-Saint Lucia suffered setbacks with an initial assessment of 35 percent damage to the sector.

- Jamaica also suffered extensive damage as well as in Barbados.

- In Cannonau, The Fishing Complex had a leaky roof, lacked water, electricity rand communication
Precautions used to minimize the effects of hurricanes
Mitigation strategies: Personal
Have a week's supply non- perishable food and water A month's supply of medication and have a first aid
kit Place documents in a water proof container or storage

Know where the hurricane shelters are and have an evacuation plan for the family

-Have flash lights and a battery operated radio

Mitigation strategies: Building design

Board up windows with ply wood or use hurricane shutters

Use hurricane straps to secure the roof

Roof gradient should be 30°

Trim trees and clear the area surrounding your home from loose debris

Have flood barriers

Mitigation strategies: Insurance

- Get house insurance for the house itself and the contents inside the house.

- Ensure that the insurance covers floodingInsurance your car: special perils - flooding

Early warning and detection

- The role of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) which
coordinates a network of agencies within the country, with the object of maximizing the preservation of
life and the protection of property in times of disaster.

- Reconnaissance aircraft fly into the centre of a hurricane to measure wind, pressure, temperature and
humidity NOAA Hurricane Hunters Aircraft

- MET Office and the National Hurricane Centre: use satellites and radar to enable scientists to track
hurricanes

- Issue a Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions are likely in the next 36 hours. Be prepared, batten the
windows, collect water and emergency supplies.

- Issue a Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions are expected in 12-24 hours. Evacuate low-lying areas
or seek shelter, Time to act.