Private Sector Study: Preparedness for Enhanced Resilience After Hurricanes Irma and Maria In Dominica and the British Virgin Islands
Source: United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat (UNISDR). Published: 7/2018.
This 54-page study sought to review the efforts of the private sector in the British Virgin Islands and Dominica impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from these events. It found that even though most businesses had disaster continuity plans, Hurricanes Maria and Irma revealed that they were unprepared for a level 5 hurricane. Businesses must recognize inconsistencies in information, resource access, education, and capacity building to enhance their resilien...
Source: Disaster Lit: Resource Guide for Disaster Medicine and Public Health - December 5, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
How Colonial Systems Hurt the Caribbean ’s Ability to Weather Hurricanes
This post is in partnership with History Today. The article below was originally published at History Today.
For most of the 19th century, besides being aware of the hurricane season (June-November), there was little that those living in the Caribbean could do to predict the arrival of storms. As rains and winds began to pick up, the wealthy took shelter in the cellars of their stone houses, while the wooden shacks of the enslaved population offered almost no protection. When a storm hit, the majority of the enslaved population simply found themselves having to try and survive days and nights out in the open, exposed to th...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 27, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Oscar Webber / History Today Tags: Uncategorized Environment natural disaster Source Type: news
Towns Forced to Evacuate After Guajataca Dam Fails in Puerto Rico
(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — A failing dam prompted emergency evacuations of two towns in northwest Puerto Rico on Friday as the U.S. territory struggled with flooding, an island-wide power blackout and other dangers in Hurricane Maria’s wake.
The National Weather Service in San Juan said Friday that the northwestern municipalities of Isabela and Quebradillas, home to some 70,000 people, were being evacuated with buses because the nearby Guajataca Dam was failing. Details remained sketchy about the evacuation with communications hampered after the storm. The 345-yard (316-meter) dam holds back a manmade lake cover...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 22, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Danica Coto / AP Tags: Uncategorized Hurricane Maria onetime Puerto Rico Source Type: news
A Stunned Puerto Rico Seeks to Rebuild after Hurricane Maria
(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans stunned by a hurricane that crushed concrete balconies, twisted metal gates and paralyzed the island with landslides, flooding and downed trees vowed to slowly rebuild amid an economic crisis as rescue crews fanned out across the U.S. territory Thursday.
The extent of the damage is unknown given that dozens of municipalities remained isolated and without communication after Maria hit the island Wednesday morning as a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, the strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in over 80 years.
Uprooted trees and widespread flooding block...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 21, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Danica Coto / AP Tags: Uncategorized Hurricane Maria onetime Puerto Rico Source Type: news
At Least 9 Dead After ‘Extremely Violent’ Hurricane Maria Makes Landfall
(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — One of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit Puerto Rico pummeled the island Wednesday, tearing off roofs and sending doors flying from hinges as officials warned Hurricane Maria would decimate the power company’s crumbling infrastructure and force the government to rebuild dozens of communities.
Maria, which has killed at least nine in the Caribbean, made landfall early Wednesday in the southeast coastal town of Yabucoa as a Category 4 storm with winds of 155 mph (250 kph) winds, and it was expected to punish the island with life-threatening winds for 12 to 24 hours, forecasters said.
...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 20, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Danica Coto / AP Tags: Uncategorized onetime Puerto Rico Source Type: news
Hurricane Maria Slams Into Puerto Rico With Life-Threatening Winds of Up to 155 Miles Per Hour
(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — One of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit Puerto Rico pummeled the island Wednesday as officials warned it would decimate the power company’s crumbling infrastructure and force the government to rebuild dozens of communities.
Maria made landfall early Wednesday in the southeast coastal town of Yabucoa as a Category 4 storm with winds of 155 mph (250 kph) winds, and it was expected to punish the island with life-threatening winds for 12 to 24 hours, forecasters said.
Maria had previously been a Category 5 storm with 175 mph (281 kph) winds.
“This is going to be an extremely viol...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 20, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Time Tags: Uncategorized Hurricane Maria onetime Puerto Rico Source Type: news
Hurricane Maria Aims for Puerto Rico After Slamming Dominica
(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — Hurricane Maria barreled toward Puerto Rico on Tuesday night after wreaking widespread devastation on Dominica and leaving the small Caribbean island virtually incommunicado.
As rains began to lash Puerto Rico, Gov. Ricardo Rossello warned that Maria could hit “with a force and violence that we haven’t seen for several generations.”
“We’re going to lose a lot of infrastructure in Puerto Rico,” Rossello said, adding that a likely island wide power outage and communication blackout could last for days. “We’re going to have to rebuild.”
Auth...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 20, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Danica Coto and Carlisle Jno Baptiste / AP Tags: Uncategorized Dominica Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico weather Source Type: news
How Big Is Hurricane Maria?
Hurricane Maria has devastated the Caribbean island of Dominica, just days after it was brushed by Hurricane Irma.
Maria, now a Category 5 storm, is expected to remain very strong as it heads toward Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
According to the National Hurricane Center, hurricane-force winds extend up to 30 miles from Hurricane Maria’s center, while tropical storm-force winds extend outward for up to 125 miles.
How does that compare to other recent or major hurricanes?
Irma
Hurricane Irma killed at least 33 people in the U.S. and 51 in the Caribbean when it struck last week. At its peak, the diamet...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 19, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Rachel Lewis Tags: Uncategorized Hurricanes onetime weather Source Type: news
‘My Roof Is Gone.’ Dominica’s Prime Minister Shares Live Updates of Hurricane Maria
Just days after it was brushed by Hurricane Irma, the Caribbean island of Dominica has been left devastated by Hurricane Maria, which is rapidly strengthening as it heads toward Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The Category 5 storm, with winds clocking at more than 160 mph, hit Dominica on Monday evening, leaving what Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skeritt described on Tuesday as “widespread devastation.”
Skeritt shared live updates of the storm on his Facebook page on Monday evening. “Certainly no sleep for anyone in Dominica. I believe my residence may have sustained some damage,”...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 19, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Kate Samuelson Tags: Uncategorized Caribbean Dominica hurricane irma Hurricane Maria onetime Source Type: news
Hurricane Maria Intensifies to Category 4 Storm
(MIAMI) — Hurricane Maria has intensified into a dangerous Category 4 storm as it bears down on the Caribbean.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Monday the storm is growing in strength as it approaches land. The eye of the storm is expected to pass near the island of Dominica on Monday evening.
The center called the storm “extremely dangerous,” with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph).
At 5 p.m. EDT, the storm was centered about 45 miles (70 kilometers) east-southeast of Dominica.
A Hurricane warning has been issued for Puerto Rico, Culebra, and Vieques. (Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories)
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 18, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Associated Press Tags: Uncategorized onetime weather Source Type: news
Hurricane Maria ‘Spaghetti Plots’ Predict Another Hit for the Caribbean
Hurricane Maria is gathering strength as it heads west toward the Caribbean, where a large swath of islands are still recovering from the devastating impact of Hurricane Irma.
With maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and the storm moving at 10 mph, Hurricane Maria, now a Category 3 storm, is expected to hit the Leeward Islands — many of which were already hit by Irma — late Monday.
Several predictions, including “spaghetti plots,” of Hurricane Maria’s path predict the storm will hit the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia and St. Kitts, Nevis...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 18, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Jennifer Calfas Tags: Uncategorized Hurricane Maria onetime Source Type: news
Caribbean Islands Brace For Impact After Hurricane Maria Causes'Widespread Devastation' In Dominica
Islands still reeling from Irma are bracing for another devastating hit. (Source: Science - The Huffington Post)
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - September 18, 2017 Category: Science Source Type: news
Caribbean Islands Brace For Impact After Hurricane Maria Causes'Widespread Devastation' In Dominica
Islands still reeling from Irma are bracing for another devastating hit. (Source: Science - The Huffington Post)
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - September 18, 2017 Category: Science Source Type: news
Hurricane Maria Makes Landfall In Dominica As'Extremely Dangerous' Category 5 Storm
Islands still reeling from Irma are bracing for another devastating hit. (Source: Science - The Huffington Post)
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - September 18, 2017 Category: Science Source Type: news
Where Is Hurricane Maria Headed?
Hurricane Maria is gathering strength in the Atlantic and is expected to hit some of the Caribbean islands that are only just beginning to recover from Hurricane Irma.
Maria, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is 100 miles east of Martinique and 130 miles east-southeast of Dominica as of Monday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. It’s currently moving west-northwest at 13 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour.
Forecasters expect Maria to become a “major hurricane” Tuesday morning.
A hurricane warning is currently in effect for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nev...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - September 18, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Rachel Lewis Tags: Uncategorized hurricane irma Hurricane Maria nationa hurricane center onetime Source Type: news
