Grenada

By Desmond Brown

ST GEORGE’S, Aug 8 2018 (IPS) - Grenada is still tallying the damage after heavy rainfall last week resulted in “wide and extensive” flooding that once again highlights the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to climate change.

Officials here say extreme weather events like in 2004 and 2005 are still fresh in the minds of residents. Rising sea levels are leading to an erosion of coastlines, while hurricanes and tropical storms regularly devastate crucial infrastructure.

ST. GEORGE'S: GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICE-AUGUST 1, 2018 - Public officers were dismissed from work early Wednesday, and employers in the private sector were encouraged to do the same as heavy, persistent rainfall continues to affect the country.

Minister of State with responsibility for Information and Disaster Management, Senator Winston Garraway explained that the decision was taken to ensure that workers had sufficient time to get home, given the impassable condition of some roadways, resulting in the use of alternative routes.

Nature of Event

Tropical Wave which generated torrential rainfall and resulted in landslides and flooding in several areas.

Areas Affected

The Parishes of St. David and St. George were severely affected

Actions Taken

NaDMA

A tropical wave interacted with the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) on 1 August, bringing heavy rains to Grenada for more than seven hours, causing landslides, flooded homes and flooded and blocked roadways. According to the Met Office, the tropical wave was expected to continue until the evening of 2 August.

Thursday, July 26, 2018 — The OECS 5th Council of Ministers of Environment and Sustainability (COMES5) Meeting concluded on the evening of Wednesday, July 11 with Ministers of Environment identifying several areas for greater collaboration and unified action, to address a number of climate change issues affecting the region.

SYNOPSIS OF TROPICAL STORM BERYL

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida, as of 2:00 PM (AST) on July 08, 2018, Beryl continues to move WNW towards the Lesser Antilles with no change in strength. Beryl or its remnants is forecast to approach the Lesser Antilles this evening, Sunday July 08, and cross the island chain tonight.

MESSAGE: Hurricane Beryl forms over the far Eastern Atlantic and progresses west towards the Caribbean.

THE SITUATION:

SYNOPSIS OF TROPICAL STORM BERYL:

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida, as of 11:00 AM (AST) on July 07, 2018, Beryl, the second (2nd) named storm of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season, was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm. As of 8:00 PM the center of Beryl, was located at 12.9N and 53.5W about 550 miles (885km) ESE of the Lesser Antilles with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 1003 mb. The present movement of Beryl is West-North-West or 295o at 17 mph (28 km/h).

REGION OVERVIEW

This article is part of a series of stories and op-eds launched by IPS on the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on June 17.

SANTIAGO, Jun 13 2018 (IPS) - Consumers can be allies in curbing desertification in Latin America, where different initiatives are being promoted to curtail it, such as sustainable land management, progress towards neutrality in land degradation or the incorporation of the bioeconomy.

By Deodat Maharaj, UNDP Senior Advisor for the Caribbean

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 8 2018 (IPS) - As a new hurricane season approaches in the Caribbean, I attended last week’s dialogue focused on “Financing Resilience in SIDS” held in Antigua and Barbuda and sponsored by the host government and Belgium.

The gathering sought to identify the main risks facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS), especially in terms of financing and innovative solutions to the countries’ challenges.

For interview requests or additional materials, please contact Sueann Tannis, Head of Corporate Communications - mobile: +1 (246) 826-3343 or tanniss@caribank.org.

May 30, 2018, ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada – The President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr. Wm. Warren Smith, is urging regional leaders and development partners to work collaboratively and proactively to address the Region’s vulnerabilities, and to support resilience-building in the energy, agriculture and air transport sectors.

AT A GLANCE

Region East Asia and Pacific
Risks Reversal of development gains post-disaster; long term economic and fiscal impacts
Area of Engagement Deepening financial protection

Following a successful pilot program, Pacific Island Countries established a sovereign catastrophe risk insurance company for the region, increasing resilience and access to short-term funds needed to respond to disasters.

HIGH VULNERABILITY, LIMITED BUDGETS

Following one of the most devastating hurricane seasons in recent history, a four-year initiative launched to help Caribbean islands prioritize and invest in natural ecosystems that reduce their risks from climate related disasters.

Santo Domingo – La creciente intensidad y frecuencia con que se experimentan los desastres en el Caribe y, por lo tanto, un flujo migratorio regional intenso, demuestran la necesidad crítica de mejorar la gestión del riesgo de desastres.

by OECS

A SERIES OF WHITEBOARD ANIMATIONS ARE BEING AIRED THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

The OECS Get Creative with Climate Change and Sustainable Land Management GCCA iLAND Resilience Project, is launching a major climate change and sustainable land management awareness initiative in the form of whiteboard animations.