The Bahamas has the greatest frequency of tropical storm activity in the entire Caribbean Basin, the Department of Meteorology has revealed.
With four major hurricanes expected during this Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs June 1 through November 30, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its partners are observing the period June 23 to 30 as Hurricane Awareness Week under the theme, ‘Together Emergencies are Managed’.
A history of hurricanes in The Bahamas over the past 150 years or more was presented at a press conference on Wednesday, June 22, at Cabinet Office.
Deputy Director of Meteorology Trevor Basden revealed that for the entire Caribbean Basin , which stretches from the Leeward and Windward Islands in the east to Hispaniola and Cuba in the west, ‘The Bahama Islands have the greatest frequency of cyclones.’
The Caribbean Hurricane Network has indicated that the ‘Hurricane Capital of the Caribbean’ is Abaco, with 18 severe hurricanes since 1851, which is an average one hurricane per eight to nine years.
Since 1994, Key West and Nevis have seen the most severe hurricanes’ seven or about one every eight to nine years. Grand Bahama saw the most hurricanes, 40 – one every four years.
‘So this means that we should always be on the alert for any sort of eventuality,’ said Chief Climatological Officer at the Department of Meteorology Mike Stubbs. ‘So, there is no surprise as to what has happened during last year’s Hurricane Season in the Northern Bahamas. The probability of islands being hit are usually those islands in the northwest sector of The Bahamas.’
Mr. Stubbs urged residents to pay particular attention to activities during Hurricane Preparedness Week 2005.
‘We pray that nothing happens this year as we are still in recovery stage but if we take the necessary precautions, we can mitigate or minimize the impact of hurricanes or anything that may come this way during this hurricane season,’ he said.
On the question of hurricane preparedness, Coordinator of NEMA Carl Smith noted that The Bahamas is in the tropical cyclone area.
‘That is why our focus must be on mitigation measures. We have in the past, given focus to responding after an event would have taken place. We need to look, or give more attention to risk management. And that means in our development planning, building to our plans, disaster management considerations. ‘Mr. Smith said. ‘It means looking at our building codes, to see if they are very effective and if in fact they are, to ensure enforcement.’
He said that The Bahamas is still in recovery mode from last year’s two major storms, Hurricane Frances and Jeanne.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has predicted 12 to 15 named storms, six to nine of which are expected to become hurricanes; three to nine major storms, meaning wind speeds of up to 111mph or greater.
However, noted professor Dr. William Gray has foreshadowed 15 named storms, eight of which are expected to become hurricanes, and four major storms. Furthermore, both predictions have indicated 39 percent increase in the landfall hurricanes in the southeastern United States.
‘This is the first time where they are actually delving on this landfall because usually they just give the general broad view of cyclones in the Atlantic Basin,’ Mr. Basden said. ‘What that obviously means for us in The Bahamas is that they are expecting an increase in hurricane activities through The Bahamas.’
‘Therefore, to have this awareness week at this time is to heighten the awareness of tropical cyclones and preparedness is essential,’ he added.
