THE EVENT

Hurricane Sandy impacted three (3) CDEMA Participating States during the period Tuesday, October 23 to Saturday, October 27, 2012. On Monday, October 22 at 10 a.m. the system was upgraded from Tropical Depression #18 to Tropical Storm Sandy. This was followed by a subsequent upgrade to a Category 1 Hurricane on Wednesday, October 24 at 10 a.m. Rapid strengthening of the weather system resulted in a third upgrade on Thursday, October 25 to a Category 2 Hurricane.

HURRICANE SANDY – SITUATION REPORT #2 AS OF 2.00 P.M., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27 2012

Message: Tropical Storm force winds continued to impact the Northern Commonwealth of the Bahamas on Saturday, October 27. Damage assessments and relief efforts ongoing in Jamaica and Haiti.

THE EVENT:
Hurricane Sandy, the 18th named storm of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season has affected three of the CDEMA Participating States, Haiti, Jamaica and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

Message: Sandy is expected to become a hurricane before reaching Jamaica today. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Jamaica and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Haiti. The central and northwestern Bahamas are under Tropical Storm Warning and a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the south-Eastern Bahamas (as of 8.00 a.m. at October 24th, 2012).

THE SITUATION:

Effective disaster management not only reduces rebuilding cost and ensures the continued operation of Caribbean countries in the event of disaster, but enhances the quality of life for our citizens.

Disaster management planning is therefore A critical investment for all Caribbean communities. This was strongly emphasized by Ms Velda Octave-Joseph, CDEMA’s Community Disaster Management Specialist who provides support to Participating States to strengthen disaster resilience at the community level.

Bridgetown, Barbados, May 25, 2012 (CDEMA) – The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) conducted its annual Region Rap Exercise today. This is a telecommunications exercise utilising various means including, telephone, electronic mail, facsimile, radio and satellite phones to test communications procedures, plans and networks of National Disaster Organizations across the Region.

Bridgetown, Barbados, February 14, 2012 (CDEMA) - Cuba and CDEMA have begun discussions on advancing disaster risk reduction cooperation agreements. This announcement was made today by Mr. Jeremy Collymore, Executive Director, CDEMA following a meeting at the CDEMA Coordinating Unit with Her Excellency, Lissette Perez, Cuban Ambassador to Barbados.

Bridgetown, Barbados, January 27th 2012 (CDEMA) – Representatives from a sample group of more than 140 persons who were actively engaged in the Mainstreaming Climate Change into Disaster Risk Management for the Caribbean Region (CCDM) Project met recently at the Courtyard by Marriott, Bridgetown, Barbados to assess the results of the project and to discuss plans for Phase 2.

Message: Damage Assessments being conducted in severely impacted Family Islands of Acklins, Mayaguana and Cat Island; Turks and Caicos Islands returns to state of normalcy.

Event Hurricane Irene, initially a Category 2 and then a Category 3 storm, passed over the Bahamas from August 23rd to August 26th 2011. Irene passed over almost the entire chain of islands causing significant damage in some islands. Hurricane Irene also passed over the Turks and Caicos Islands on August 24th 2011 as a Category One hurricane resulting in severe flooding.

Bridgetown, Barbados, August 27, 2011 (CDEMA) - A shipment of relief supplies from the CARICOM regional Warehouse in Jamaica left Kingston today (Saturday, August 27, 2011) for hurricane impacted Acklins and Mayaguana Islands in the Bahamas.