tropical cyclone case study

countries used

Haiti and USA (florida)

Haiti - background info

occurred on october 3rd-5th 2016

category 4 cyclone - 74mph winds, 3m storm surge

USA - background info

occurred october 6th-9th 2016

category 3 cyclone - 80kph winds, 3m storm surge

had weakened from haiti’s landfall

Haiti - short term impacts

communication networks broken

damaged all farms, ports, fishing equipment

road systems compromised - lack of access to areas

550 schools damaged/out of action

$2.8 billion damages

agriculture = 25% of Haiti’s GDP, 2/3 working pop work in that sector

11 coastal districts flooded

USA - short term impacts

cell phone networks down for 250,000 people

road systems compromised - no access to some islands

schools closed for 3 days

economic activity back after 2 weeks

$10 billion, costliest disaster in history

moderate coastal damage - 11ft of sand removed from hit beaches

Haiti - long term impacts

200,000 homes damaged

1.4 million people needing humanitarian aid

cholera outbreak worsened - 29 additional deaths to the original over 1000

80% had no power

very little economic activity for months

USA -long term impacts

1 million had no power

thousands fled - 200 homes destroyed

no international aid

4 deaths due to CO poisoning, 33 deaths initially

A1A road partially washed away

Haiti - vulnerability

many live in informal housing - 30% live below extreme poverty line

HDI = 163/191

second largest caribbean coastline - many large cities among it

decades of political instability, corruption and violence

USA - vulnerability

minority population is higher than average in large urban areas

more than 40% black population live in hurricane risk areas

Haiti - preparation

meteorological agencies and emergenct responders had satellite images

oct 2nd - government started evacuating people

lacked storm surge defences - more vulnerable

stocked food, water, medical etc… for easy distrobution

USA - preparation

detected early - public warned within 2 days

satellite technology measuring wins and rainfall and storm surge risk

deployed temporary flood barriers, levees, seawalls to prevent flooding

shelters were ready, buildings were protected, military were ready

people told to pack bags and evacuate a day in advance

haiti - response

search and resure - extreme amount of collapsed buildings

distribution of aid - UN and GNO

evacuation and shelters for those who lost homes

investments maide for reconstruction

water and sanitation were a priority due to cholera outbreak

farmrs provided with seeds, tools and traning to restore food security

USA - response

search and rescue in flooded areas

supplies distributed

shelters and medical aid availible

infrastructure repair - received funding

loans offered to homeowners etc..

learnt from experience eg. better floodplain management