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Hurricane Tomas (2010)

Preparations

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Eastern Caribbean

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The precursor disturbance to Tomas on October 29, threatening the southeastern Caribbean

Hurricane Tomas' late-season formation and subsequent intensification east of the southern Lesser Antilles were sudden and poorly forecast,[1] taking emergency officials by surprise and limiting preparation time. Upon the storm's operational designation at 5:00 pm on October 29, the governments of Barbados, France, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago issued tropical storm warnings for Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Windward Islands from Grenada north to Martinique, as well as a tropical storm watch for Dominica.[2] At 11:00 pm, within only several hours of impact, the warnings for Barbados and most of the Windward Islands were raised to hurricane alerts as Tomas neared hurricane strength, while the watch for Dominica was upgraded to a warning.[3] The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) activated its disaster response protocol in coordination with the National Emergency Organizations of the threatened member states. Disaster relief units were accordingly deployed across the islands to set up storm shelters and rush preparations to completion.[4][5]

Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago

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In Barbados, authorities sent out the first advisory for Tomas on October 29 at 5:00 pm[6] – just nine hours before the storm's impact – and announced a nation-wide curfew for midnight.[5] In response, many residents hurried out to stock up on gas and emergency supplies. Air carriers Leeward Islands Air Transport and American Airlines cancelled their outgoing flights for that evening;[6] later, as conditions worsened, the Grantley Adams International Airport went under complete shutdown. The tardy notice of Tomas' approach led to delays in emergency preparations; most shelters did not open until late in the evening, and residents were advised to weather the storm in their homes.[6]

 
Oil and gas platforms, similar to the one pictured, were evacuated off the coast of Trinidad

News of an approaching tropical disturbance began to circulate across Trinidad and Tobago in the morning of October 29. At 1:00 pm, the government ordered the closure of schools and dismissed public employees on both islands. Many workers in the private sector also opted for early leaves.[7] BP and Petrotrin evacuated their offshore workers from oil and gas rigs.[8] National security authorities mobilized first-responders and urged residents of risk zones to relocate to shelters.[9] As crowds of people hurried to stores and gas stations that afternoon, widespread traffic jams and public transport disruptions took place in and around Port of Spain and Sangre Grande, leaving passengers stranded up till 7:00 pm.[7]

Windward Islands

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On the afternoon of October 29, the public of Saint Lucia began receiving text message alerts on the progress of Tomas.[4] Anticipating a direct hit from the hurricane, the government implemented a national shutdown at 6:00 am on the following day,[5] closing all businesses and the island's two airports. A large Creole festival was canceled due to the storm, inconveniencing international vendors and visitors.[10]

Under hurricane threat, residents of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were alerted and updated on Tomas' approach through radio and television broadcasts and text message bulletins. In a radio address at 6:45 am, October 30, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves urged the public to safeguard its properties or evacuate to storm shelters. Government workers readied emergency vehicles and preemptively deployed debris clearing machines. All businesses, as well as then-operative E.T. Joshua Airport, remained closed for the day, and various activities such as church services were cancelled across the nation.[11] A cruise ship with 2,000 passengers en route to Saint Vincent was diverted to Dominica ahead of the hurricane.[10]

Although not within the hurricane's direct path, the islands of Martinique and Grenada carried out similar preparations in anticipation of squally conditions. Aside from the tropical cyclone warnings, Martinique was placed under an orange alert for severe weather; residents were advised to stay indoors and to avoid coasts and riversides.[12] First responders across the island took preemptive measures to set up emergency posts and mobilize road clearing equipment.[13] Disaster management officials in Grenada began distributing emergency supplies ahead of Tomas by October 29.[4] The next day, gas stations across the island ran out of fuel as residents prepared for the storm, and the Maurice Bishop International Airport suspended its operations.[10]

Central Caribbean

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Following the weakening storm's west-southwesterly motion over the central Caribbean, swells generated breaking waves along coastal sections of the ABC islands on the morning of November 1. Consequently, a small craft advisory was issued for all three islands at 10:15 am.[14] Shelters were readied along the southern coast of Curaçao, and the opening festival for the tumba season was postponed.[15][16] Because Tomas' windfield was forecast to stay well to the north, officials did not issue any tropical cyclone warnings for the islands; however, a state of severe weather was declared for Bonaire and Curaçao at 8:00 pm, as radar images showed the development of strong thunderstorms over the region.[17]

In Haiti, devastated earlier in the year by the deadly January 12 earthquake, government officials began preparing for possible impact from Tomas by October 30. One United Nations spokesperson remarked that a hurricane strike would be "the last thing Haiti needs".[18] The Haitian government issued an orange storm alert, one level short of the highest state of alert, and warned for the possibility of winds, thunderstorms, and flooding.[19]

South and Central America

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Squalls and swells from Tomas' outer bands threatened the coasts of Guyana and eastern Venezuela on October 29; residents in flood-prone areas and operators of air- and seacrafts were advised to exercise caution.[20]

Impact

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Barbados

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http://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/tour-of-houses-damaged-by-tomas/ http://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/37-million-house-repair-bill-after-tropical-storm-tomas/ http://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/government-regrets-losses-to-agricultural-sector-by-tropical-storm-tomas/ http://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/government-will-leave-no-stone-unturned-to-assist-persons-affected-by-tomas/

Saint Lucia

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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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[21]

Rest of the Windward Islands

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[22] [23] TT$50 million (US$7.85 million) in Tobago.[24] TT$4 million (US$630,000)[25] Total losses of TT$54 million (US$8.5 million) across TT.

Martinique: http://www.meteo.fr/temps/domtom/antilles/pack-public/cyclone/saison2010/Tomas_VBB_3.pdf http://www.zinfos974.com/La-Martinique-touchee-par-l-ouragan-Tomas_a22635.html http://politiques-publiques.com/martinique/tomas-est-le-pire-ouragan-que-nous-ayons-connu/

Aftermath

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Barbados

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The morning after the storm, emergency teams across Barbados performed damage assessments and immediately began clearing trees and debris from nearly 100 roads.[5][26] The Barbados Light and Power Company dispatched workers to restore the power distribution, although efforts were slow to be completed;[27] in parts of Saint Lucy and Saint Michael, power line repairs took more than two weeks.[28] Following outages in water pumping stations, several areas suffering from water shortages were supplied with water tanks.[27] In coordination with the Barbadian government, the Barbados Red Cross Society distributed relief supplies to 214 households affected by Tomas, including 100 tarpaulins for those without roofs.[29][30] Others left homeless sought shelter in schools and churches. By November 8, all but one of the island's schools—many damaged in the storm or serving as shelters—had reopened their doors to students.[31]

Based on the wind damage pattern from Tomas, the government of Barbados received $8.5 million in insurance payouts from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF).[32]

Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia

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[33] [34]

References

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  1. ^ Pasch, Richard J.; Kimberlain, Todd B. (March 7, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Tomas (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. pp. 3–4. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  2. ^ Stewart, Stacy (October 29, 2010). Tropical Storm Tomas Advisory Number 1 (Advisory). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  3. ^ Berg, Robbie; Brown, Daniel (October 30, 2010). Tropical Storm Tomas Advisory Number 3 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c CDEMA Public Information Note #1 –Tropical Storm Tomas (as of 5.00pm October 29, 2010) (Information bulletin). Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. October 29, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d Situation Report #1 – Tropical Storm Tomas impacts Barbados, with winds of near 70 miles per hour; strengthens to a Category 1 Hurricane and impacts three other CDEMA Participating States (PDF) (Report). Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. October 30, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Thompson, Rhonda (October 30, 2010). "Ride out storm, says disaster chief". Nation News. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Tomas heads to TT". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. October 30, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  8. ^ Seelal, Nalinee (October 30, 2010). "bpTT, Petrotrin evacuate staff". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  9. ^ Dhalai, Richardson (October 30, 2010). "Sandy: Protective Services ready". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  10. ^ a b c Ellis, Guy (October 30, 2010). "Tomas becomes a hurricane, pounds St. Lucia, heads for Jamaica". cleveland.com. Advance Ohio. Associated Press. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  11. ^ "St. Vincent shuts down, prepares for Hurricane Tomas". iWitness News. October 30, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  12. ^ "Tomas est le pire ouragan que nous ayons connu" (in French). Politiques-Publiques. October 31, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  13. ^ "Tomas : Pluie et vent sur les Antilles" (in French). Politiques-Publiques. October 30, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  14. ^ "Cyclone advisory no. 9". Meteorological Department Curaçao. November 1, 2010. Archived from the original on November 2, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  15. ^ Dušinović, Jasna (October 30, 2010). "Tomas verpest Tambú-festijn". Versgeperst (in Dutch). Archived from the original on November 4, 2010.
  16. ^ Steinfort, Katja (November 1, 2010). "Tomas verpest Tambú-festijn". Versgeperst (in Dutch). Archived from the original on November 9, 2010.
  17. ^ (in Papiamento) "Advertensia pa mal tempu ta na vigor pa Boneiru i Kòrsou". Meteorological Department Curaçao. November 1, 2010. Archived from the original on November 2, 2010. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1030afp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference ap1030 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ "Tropical Storm Tomas headed this way, winds, heavy rains predicted". Stabroek News. October 29, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  21. ^ Dottin, Marcia (2010-10-31). "Terrible Tomas". Nation News. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  22. ^ De Souza, Janelle (2010-11-12). "Tobago survives Tomas". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  23. ^ Llanos, Alicia; Lord, Richard (2010-11-02). "Tobago feels sting of Hurricane Tomas' tail". The Trinidad Guardian.
  24. ^ Cupid, Karl E. (2010-11-12). "Tomas leaves $50M in losses". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  25. ^ Banwarie, Ralph (2010-11-02). "Tomas leaves $4M damage in east Trinidad". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  26. ^ Martindale, Carol (October 30, 2010). "Clearing crews out". The Nation. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  27. ^ a b Sealy, John (November 1, 2010). "Water, light, still a problem". The Nation. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  28. ^ BADMC Working To Restore Irrigation Services Following Tomas (Press release). Barbados Government Information Service. November 15, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  29. ^ The Barbados Red Cross Society Responds to Barbadians' Humanitarian Needs (Press release). Caribbean Red Cross Societies. Hosted by ReliefWeb. November 10, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2017. {{cite report}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  30. ^ Emergency appeal final report – Caribbean: Hurricane Tomas (PDF) (Report). International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. December 27, 2011. TC-2010-000216-BRB/LCA/VCT. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  31. ^ Martindale, Carol (November 7, 2010). "Schools reopen". The Nation. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  32. ^ Caribbean Governments receive US$12.8M insurance payout from CCRIF following passage of Tomas (Press release). Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility. November 17, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  33. ^ Emergency Assistance for Two Caribbean Countries affected by Hurricane Tomas (Press release). Embassy of Japan in Trinidad and Tobago. November 8, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  34. ^ "After Hurricane Thomas, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Strengthens its Resilience". The World Bank. September 25, 2014. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
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