Latest update November 5th, 2024 1:00 AM
PREPAREDNESS FOR NATURAL DISASTERS
Looking back at one of the worst hurricane seasons on record, we in Guyana are fortunate to be spared yet again from a natural disaster such as floods or droughts. Guyana is not in a hurricane zone, but many of us have grown up knowing what it is like to experience major floods.
So as we enter the Christmas season, it would indeed be a blessing for us to give thanks for being spared from nature’s fury. But we must not believe that we are somehow more divinely favoured and the Caribbean islands are not. Our luck is unlikely to last forever.
In this festive season, we should offer goodwill and spare a thought for the people of Turks and Caicos, Dominica, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, St Maarten, Puerto Rico and Antigua’s sister island of Barbuda who were not so lucky.
A powerless region was devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which left a trail of death and destruction. The territories now face the daunting task of picking up the pieces shattered by the monster category 5 hurricanes.
Estimates from various sources suggest it will take millions of dollars and several years to repair the damage, before full restoration to what they used to be. But as they rebuild, and as we celebrate Christmas, we must continue to extend a helping hand to them in any way we can, despite our own challenges.
November was “Caribbean Tourism Month, but that was barely noticed, as many islands in the region are in dire straits and in need of urgent foreign assistance. The hurricanes have severely impacted tourism.
During the first half of this year, the region had performed at a new record pace, with 16.6 million international arrivals, at a growth rate of 5.2 percent, compared to the same period last year.
However, following the devastation by Irma and Maria, tourism is expected to decrease significantly. The Caribbean Development Bank predicts that one percent reduction in tourist arrivals will cost the region US$137 million in lost revenue.
The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season which began on June 1, produced 17 named storms, ten of which were hurricanes, including six major ones of category 3, 4 and 5 in strength. The Miami-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) stated that the 2017 season was the seventh most active in the historical records, dating back to 1851, and was the most destructive since 2005.
Climate change, stemming from global warming, has been identified as a major contributing factor to the increasing intensity of the hurricane systems. Climate change has been played down within the corridors of the new power structure in Washington, but since parts of the US, quite ironically, also took a devastating hit from this year’s deadly hurricanes, hopefully, it will serve as a wake-up call that the issue is certainly not a figment of the imagination of scientists but very real, based on growing evidence.
In six short months, the next hurricane season will be upon us. This is a good time for the Caribbean Islands to review and strengthen their preparedness plans, assess their overall state of readiness and make any changes necessary, including possible reinforcement of key buildings to withstand the onslaught of category 5 hurricane force winds.
Since no one has control over the forces of nature, the best they can do is to protect life and property as best as they can. Pursuing this approach is a much better choice than being caught off guard with their vulnerability fully exposed.
It is a piece of advice which the islands would do well to heed. They need to take the issue of hurricane preparedness much more seriously, given this year’s horrific experiences.
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