Natural Disasters In The Caribbean

The natural disasters that are typically experienced in the Caribbean can have catastrophic and devastating impacts on the environment, economic development and social structure of these islands. Severe damage to the built infrastructure that has supported communities on Caribbean islands for decades can place a huge strain on economic activity. The social impacts that are experienced following natural disasters consist of homelessness, injury, suffering, sickness, disease, and even death.

This paper will introduce the ajar natural disasters that have affected life in the Caribbean and they include hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, flooding and tsunamis.

Other than Barbados, all Windward Islands of the Caribbean are of volcanic origin. Volcanoes are ruptures in the earth’s surface that allow for the escape of lava and gas. The two types of volcanic eruptions, explosive and effusive, can both have devastating consequences on the environment and the Caribbean inhabitants. Although not a common occurrence, several volcanic eruptions have take place on Caribbean islands.

For example, an eruption on SST.

Vincent in 1979 left economic losses of 1 billion dollars, but fortunately no casualties. Flooding is another very impact natural disaster that is one of the more common types of natural disasters to greatly affect CAROM countries. Sometimes called the silent killer, flooding can greatly affect socio-economic development. Whether it is coastal or river flooding, it has the ability to greatly damage the agricultural landscape as well as introduce water-borne disease that can lead to death in local inhabitants.

Why Is The Caribbean Vulnerable To Natural Hazards

There is a disproportionate vulnerability of CAROM countries to natural disaster demonstrated by the numerous events that have occurred over the last few hundred years.

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The intrinsic vulnerability is due to the small size of Caribbean islands, their insularity and remoteness, and the economic, environmental and demographic factors that are associated with these islands. Furthermore, there is limited hazard forecasting ability for several CAROM countries. The CAROM countries are geographically set in a location that makes them vulnerable to natural disasters.

The Caribbean climate is tropical and temperatures range between approximately ICC and ICC throughout all islands as a whole. The prevailing trade winds along with year round sunny skies set a warm climate for CAROM countries with both dry and wet season. Precipitation depends on the elevation of the island and is also effected by water currents. The environmental impacts of Caribbean natural disasters are correlated with the large coastal zones on the numerous islands and the damage can vary from affecting the entire landscape or the falling on one tree.

It was noted that from 1960-1989, “hurricanes in the Greater Caribbean Basin resulted in the deaths of 28,000 people, disrupted the lives of 6 million people and destroyed property worth U. S. $16 billion. ” All the Caribbean nations that have already faced the fury of the hurricane Sandy and have had to fight back by burying the dead, finding shelter for the homeless and counting the economic losses. Sandy moved northwards with gusts in over 1 10 MPH destroying homes, crops and roads on its way. More than 69 people were killed in six countries.