11 Grenada 2004 Photo by Frankie Michael • Continued from previous page Hurricane status begins with sustained winds of 74 mph. The number of storms that intensified from Category 1 to Category 3 or greater, within 36 hours, has increased dramatically during the last 50 years. In 2017, Hurricane Maria (affected several CARICAD member states), increased in strength from a tropical storm to a Category 5 Hurricane within 48 hours. Maria caused the highest death toll from a hurricane in the Caribbean for more than 35 years. Storms like Maria that intensify so quickly, tend to be among the most powerful and destructive. Their likely tracks are also more difficult to predict. Current research suggests that storms are strengthening more quickly to hurricane status in the Caribbean Sea than in the Gulf of Mexico. This means the Caribbean region is now under greater threat from the likelihood of rapidly strengthening storms into hurricanes. Tropical storms and hurricanes are regarded by experts as the weather systems that create the costliest damage. The picture that continues to emerge, is clear — the threats of negative effects from storms and hurricanes may become even worse than they have been recently. A direct causal relationship may not yet be embraced by all scientists but there is an undeniable statistical correlation between Climate Change and the increasing threat of emergent, worse effects. This should give policy and decision makers in our region, yet another wake-up call in terms of our vulnerability and the need for proactive approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction. The concept of the Disaster Cycle reminds us that Mitigation, Preparedness and Preparation when done effectively, can dramatically reduce the losses, cost, time and negative effects in the Response, Recovery and Rehabilitation phases afterwards. That reality suggests that in the years to come, we in the Caribbean should be placing greater emphasis on Mitigation, Preparedness and Preparation for Vulnerability and Risk Reduction as our pathway to Resilient Development. • Continues on next page
12 Publizr Home