SNAPSHOTS OF HURRICANE SNAPSHOTS OF HURRICANE SEASON 2010 - BELIZESEASON 2010 - BELIZE

Impacts and Lessons LearntImpacts and Lessons Learnt

55thth Annual Caribbean Conference on CDM Annual Caribbean Conference on CDM

P. Noreen FairweatherP. Noreen FairweatherNational Emergency CoordinatorNational Emergency Coordinator

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

An “active to extremely active” hurricane season An “active to extremely active” hurricane season was forecasted by NOAA’s Climate Prediction was forecasted by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Centre.Centre.

2005 -> 28 named storms, including Hur. Katrina.2005 -> 28 named storms, including Hur. Katrina. 19 named storms ; 12 Hurricanes (1969 & 2005); 5 Major Hurricanes. 19 named storms ; 12 Hurricanes (1969 & 2005); 5 Major Hurricanes. Four Cat 4 within 20 days (1999)Four Cat 4 within 20 days (1999) Sept 15 Sept 15 - two category 4 hurricanes - two category 4 hurricanes (Igor and Julia)(Igor and Julia) at the same time in at the same time in

the Atlantic Basin  (1900 & 1926)the Atlantic Basin  (1900 & 1926)

NEMO NEMO Belize busy since mid-May Belize busy since mid-May FOUR STORMS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BELIZEFOUR STORMS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BELIZE

TROPICAL STORM ALEX TROPICAL STORM ALEX International NewsInternational News

““Tropical Storm Alex Soaks Belize”Tropical Storm Alex Soaks Belize”• 6 -8 inches of rainfall6 -8 inches of rainfall

National News National News

Tropical Storm Alex – Belize’s “dry run”?Tropical Storm Alex – Belize’s “dry run”? ‘ ‘from all accounts, Belize did well in this “dry run,” from all accounts, Belize did well in this “dry run,”

especially since the watchful eyes of NEMO and the especially since the watchful eyes of NEMO and the National Meteorological Service had been monitoring National Meteorological Service had been monitoring the area of disturbed weather off the Honduras/ the area of disturbed weather off the Honduras/ Nicaragua border that eventually became Alex since Nicaragua border that eventually became Alex since last week’.last week’.

TROPICAL STORM ALEX (2)TROPICAL STORM ALEX (2) Landfall 26 June north of Belize City; Landfall 26 June north of Belize City;

Winds 55 mph; WNW at Winds 55 mph; WNW at 9mph.9mph.

Flooding in major rivers (20).Flooding in major rivers (20). > 1500 people voluntarily moved off > 1500 people voluntarily moved off

Ambergris Caye (San Pedro). Ambergris Caye (San Pedro). Impacted entire country.Impacted entire country. Approx. $ 8m in damages.Approx. $ 8m in damages.

TROPICAL STORM KARL TROPICAL STORM KARL Landfall 15 September 35 miles north of Belize ; Landfall 15 September 35 miles north of Belize ;

Winds 65 mph; Winds 65 mph; A TS watch in in effect for the coast of northern

Belize from Belize City to the Mexico/Belize Border .

Belize Radar showed eye developing just before Belize Radar showed eye developing just before landfall landfall

No evidence it reached Hurricane strength No evidence it reached Hurricane strength Flooding in northern Belize Flooding in northern Belize Trees/down, temporary loss of electricity. Trees/down, temporary loss of electricity.

TROPICAL STORM MATTHEW TROPICAL STORM MATTHEW Landfall over the southern Belize Landfall over the southern Belize

September 25; weak TS with winds of September 25; weak TS with winds of approx. 40 mph.approx. 40 mph.

Localized flash floods produced by the Localized flash floods produced by the intense rain fall.intense rain fall.

Turbulent seas and coastal erosion.Turbulent seas and coastal erosion. Preliminary damage was minimal.Preliminary damage was minimal. Quickly weakened to a TD as it moved Quickly weakened to a TD as it moved

WNW over Southern Belize and GuatemalaWNW over Southern Belize and Guatemala

P. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZE

Hurricane Richard Hurricane Richard

Impacts of Hurricane Richard Impacts of Hurricane Richard

Landfall 24 October, 20 miles south Belize City; Landfall 24 October, 20 miles south Belize City; 13 mph; sustained winds 95 mph with gusts of 13 mph; sustained winds 95 mph with gusts of 115mph; storm surge 5 feet.115mph; storm surge 5 feet.

Hurricane force winds extended 20 mls from Hurricane force winds extended 20 mls from centre, TS winds extended 105 mls.centre, TS winds extended 105 mls.

> 2000 people voluntarily moved off San Pedro. > 2000 people voluntarily moved off San Pedro. 4,639 persons sought public shelter; 4,639 persons sought public shelter;

hundreds more relocated inland with family hundreds more relocated inland with family and friends.and friends.

53 communities impacted.53 communities impacted.

Impacts of Hurricane Richard Impacts of Hurricane Richard

> 1,300 homes received varying levels of damage; > 1,300 homes received varying levels of damage; 60% south-side Belize City. 60% south-side Belize City.

Belmopan: 15% of homes in surrounding Belmopan: 15% of homes in surrounding communities suffered level 3 & 4 damages.communities suffered level 3 & 4 damages.

Trees and power lines down, roads closedTrees and power lines down, roads closed Electricity lost 24 hoursElectricity lost 24 hours

> 3,500 families supported with relief supplies> 3,500 families supported with relief supplies Food/water/tarps/mattresses Food/water/tarps/mattresses

Two deaths attributed to Richard. Two deaths attributed to Richard. BZ $ 70 million in damagesBZ $ 70 million in damages

P. Noreen, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen, NEC - BELIZE

P. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZE

P. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZE

P. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZE

P. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZE

P. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZE

P. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZE

P. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZEP. Noreen Fairweather, NEC - BELIZE

Preparation Pays Off Preparation Pays Off (Lessons Learnt) (Lessons Learnt)

Disaster Management Training ( >500 persons) .Disaster Management Training ( >500 persons) .• First Aid - 650 persons June –Nov. 2010First Aid - 650 persons June –Nov. 2010

Field and Tabletop Exercises .Field and Tabletop Exercises . Shelter Inspection and Rehabilitation .Shelter Inspection and Rehabilitation . Pre-positioning of Relief Supplies and Equipment. Pre-positioning of Relief Supplies and Equipment. Continuous Disaster Plan development/improvement:Continuous Disaster Plan development/improvement:

• Evacuation Plan (Coast and Cayes) in addition to Evacuation Plan (Coast and Cayes) in addition to government assets, established relationship with government assets, established relationship with private sector – fuel, boats, buses , heavy private sector – fuel, boats, buses , heavy equipment etc.equipment etc.

Shelter Management:Shelter Management:• Pre-determined -> who will go where, when, how.Pre-determined -> who will go where, when, how.

(Internal and External)(Internal and External)

Education/Information Pays Off Education/Information Pays Off (Lessons Learnt) (Lessons Learnt)

Continuous sharing of information and warning Continuous sharing of information and warning to public before/during/after event.to public before/during/after event.

Joint hurricane tips – NEMO & MET Joint hurricane tips – NEMO & MET during daily weather updates.during daily weather updates.

Joint alert messages – NEMO & Media Joint alert messages – NEMO & Media

Building confidence:Building confidence: Carefully crafting Alert Messages; inform Carefully crafting Alert Messages; inform

on threat without seeming to “cry wolf”. on threat without seeming to “cry wolf”.

Monitor and track Monitor and track ALL SYSTEMS ALL SYSTEMS in both Atlantic & in both Atlantic & Pacific.Pacific.

Lessons Learnt Lessons Learnt (Improvement Needed) (Improvement Needed)

Better building practices/codesBetter building practices/codes Other Mitigation effortsOther Mitigation efforts

Land Utilization/Zoning/ Hazard Land Utilization/Zoning/ Hazard Mapping, drainageMapping, drainage

Probabilistic Risk Assessment.Probabilistic Risk Assessment. Agriculture / LivelihoodAgriculture / Livelihood

CCrop diversity and rotation, livestock rop diversity and rotation, livestock safe areas, flood resilient pasturesafe areas, flood resilient pasture

Thank You.Thank You.