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Scientists predict intensification of natural disasters in coming years

Contact: Shannnon Lebourne

Friday 3 December 2010 –  The 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season may be over but there are lingering signs of the impact of climate change which scientists predict will result in an increase in the number and intensity of hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters.

According to a recent  report by the United Nations (UN) every country in the Caribbean faces huge economic losses caused by rising sea levels over the coming decades, losing hospitals,  airports,  power plants,  multi-million dollar  tourism resorts,  roads, bridges and farmlands.

According to the report by researchers at the Oxford University Centre for the Environment, the damages in the 15 CARICOM countries could amount to between 4 and 6 billion dollars a year,  with infrastructure costs running to tens of billions in many countries.

The study, which does not consider the costs of coral loss, or the possibility of increased hurricane or storm activity with climate change,  indicates  a rise of 1 metre, which would result in the sea encroaching by around 100 metres on average in all coastal states in the region.

This loss would force more than 100,000 people to move, erode beaches, contaminate fresh water supplies and degrade the tourism industry on which most countries have come to depend.

This year is on track to be one of the two hottest years on record globally, according to provisional figures for temperatures in 2010.

And the past decade has been the warmest 10 years since records began, the World Meteorological Organisation said.

Between January and October globally, temperatures were 0.55C above the long-term average of 14C - slightly higher than the hottest year on record in 1998.

Regarding the Caribbean, the organisation noted that Guyana and the eastern Caribbean were badly affected by drought - with rainfall for the period from October 2009 to March 2010 among the driest 10% of recorded years.

With the 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season slowly becoming history, Saint Lucians are encouraged not to become complacent and do everything necessary to protect their lives and property from the impact of natural disasters.

Citizens are also advised to monitor and pay close attention to the details of every weather report.

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