A major hurricane impact results in disruption which relates primarily to utility services. Workers in the Turks and Caicos Islands carry out utility repairs after a hurricane. Continued from previous page DISRUPTION A major hurricane impact results in disruption. The disruption relates primarily to services. Services provided by all sectors are usually suspended because the situation must be assessed and decisions taken as to how best to resume services. This often takes time. It sometimes affects essential services. DELAY Delays are common with hurricane impacts. Entities might have been directly damaged but because of disruptions that have taken place in other areas of the economy, then delays arise. A school might not have undergone serious damage but if there is extensive damage to the water system, the school cannot resume. DISORDER Hurricanes can create disorder in several ways. The disorder can result from the destruction, damage and delay alluded to before. Additionally, disorder can result from actions by small groups of persons engaging in nefarious activities such as looting or larceny. DESPAIR There is an increasing realisation that major hurricanes can create a sense of despair that can affect individuals, families and communities. There is also the realisation that the socio/economic realities of our region indicate that the despair is often greater among women because of their living circumstances. This is an area in which there are increasingly strident calls for preventive and corrective action. Continues on next page 12
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