jameshospedales@earthmedic.org
In July 2024, Hurricane Beryl tore through Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica and Mexico, and went on to hit Texas and several other US states. Beryl was the earliest Category Five storm on record.
T&T and the Caribbean islands are in a watery part of the world, prone to storms and hurricanes, but as human-caused climate change advances, hurricanes are behaving differently. They intensify faster, are stronger, wetter, and last longer. Combined with other factors like rising sea levels, hurricanes are causing more damage, destruction, injury and death.
Low-income communities, those living near coasts, people with chronic health problems, and the hospitals and health centres needed for disaster relief are all vulnerable. Staying informed and being prepared are essential to reduce deaths, suffering and damage.
Hurricanes now get stronger faster, so you have less time to react. To imagine this, suppose you are playing cricket and batting. If you face a spin bowler and expect a slow ball at 40 MPH, you think you will have time to react. But after a short run-up, the bowler delivers a ball of 100 MPH, rocking you back with little time to react! Similarly, Beryl jumped from tropical storm strength to major hurricane with winds exceeding 130 MPH in just 24 hours. A key ingredient for rapid intensification is warm water, meaning ocean surface temperatures of above 27 degrees Celsius.
A hurricane forms when environmental conditions are right, particularly when sea surface temperatures are warm. It is not commonly realised that 90 per cent of excess heat from burning fossil fuels like oil and gas is stored in our oceans. Warm seas are the fuel that hurricanes need, and the last 12 months have been the hottest on record, causing record high sea surface temperatures. Thus, hurricanes now tend to have higher wind speeds, so they can cause more damage and destruction. Experts aren’t sure whether we will get more frequent storms and hurricanes, but research shows that hurricanes are getting stronger, faster.
Hurricanes and tropical storms now tend to be wetter, meaning that rainfall levels are higher than in the past. With global warming, there is more evaporation of seawater, so there is more moisture in the air, which must come down somewhere as rain or snow. Tropical Storm Erika in September 2015 in Dominica demonstrated this phenomenon when 15” of rain fell overnight. This caused massive flooding and landslides which swept away big houses, whole villages, farms, roads and bridges, resulting in 33 deaths. Thus, besides wind speed, paying attention to expected rainfall levels is important.
Additionally, hurricanes now tend to linger so they pound you for longer. Imagine boxing against the heavyweight “Iron” Mike Tyson. You might survive a minute, but if you try to fight 10 rounds, you will likely die. Climate models show that as the world warms, tropical hurricanes will travel more slowly, dumping more rain in one place and battering buildings and trees with high-speed winds for longer.
Hurricane Dorian, which hit The Bahamas on September 1, 2019, was an example, sitting over Abaco and Grand Bahama islands for over 36 hours, resulting in over 70 deaths and over 200 persons missing. It was the most devastating natural disaster ever to hit The Bahamas.
Making matters worse, global sea levels are rising because of global warming from climate change, boosting storm surges and increasing coastal flood risk. A storm surge is a rise in sea level that occurs during hurricanes. Climate change worsens storm surge through its impacts on storm intensity as bigger, stronger storms can push waves up to 5m high further onshore. Human behaviour, like deforesting hillsides and dumping garbage in rivers, both increase runoff from the land while reducing the ability of flood water to drain.
Hurricanes are changing behaviour as human-caused climate change worsens, but should we fling up our hands and take licks? No. Every man jack can get boxing gloves or develop reflexes to beat the spin bowler, while in the longer term, we need to transition away from fossil fuel use, which is causing climate change. In the short term, we need better early warning systems, and to listen to the advice from the Met Service and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management.
Don’t assume when you hear it’s ‘only a Category 1 storm’ that it won’t be bad, because it can become a deadly Category 5 almost overnight. Don’t dump rubbish and old appliances into rivers. Make a plan for your family, including writing down or programming emergency phone numbers into your cell phone. Prepare an emergency supply kit including your medicines. Have a plan for evacuation if necessary. Learn about your surroundings and flood-prone areas, escape routes and higher ground. Take measures to protect your home and belongings. Stay informed and stay safe.
Key resource: Chapter-1_Extreme-weather-events_Research-for-Action-on-Climate-Change-and-Health-in-the-Caribbean_2024.pdf (earthmedic.com)
The following was a weekly column by EarthMedic and EarthNurse NGO to equip readers to face the climate and health crisis.
