Are You Ready For a COVID-infected Hurricane Season?

It's not hyperbolic to say that we could face the most dangerous combination of disaster threats in St Lucia history this year.

In less than a month’s time, the Caribbean Atlantic Hurricane Season will begin. This means a series of big storms may hit the region for around six months until the end of November. With the Caribbean currently facing more than eleven thousand cases of COVID-19 and a death toll of more than 500 so far, the hurricane season will further stretch resources and emergency services already under extreme pressure.

The National Emergency Management Organization, (NEMO), the St Lucia government agency responsible for coordinating disaster response, has said that, although the coronavirus has interfered with some preparation and training, it is ready to deal with the approaching hurricane season. It is thought that by reallocating staff focusing on long-term work from previous disasters to concentrate on this year’s fallout, NEMO should be able to cope.

On the evening of Sept. 18, 2017, Hurricane Maria  ravaged the Caribbean island of Dominica with 160-mile-per-hour winds, damaging or destroying the roofs of an estimated 90 percent of buildings and toppling not only power lines but some of the thickest, strongest, oldest trees in the forests. Right now, any island experiencing rapid growth in COVID-19 may find hard to cope with big storms unless proper measures are in place.

With the hurricane season looming, and St Lucia still under partial-lockdown (albeit with an increasingly restless population) and the death toll still at zero, staying at home is still necessary to get the disease under control.

                                                               Rayneau's Hurricane Supplies mp4

During a hurricane evacuation, people are expected to evacuate flood-prone communities and move to safer, higher ground or emergency shelters. But mass evacuation would render social distancing impossible. The two competing situations will leave islands battling a pandemic and hurricane fall-out simultaneously. With several big storms predicted, it will be a testing time for the St Lucia and its neighbours.

At Rayneau we believe that the COVID-19, which brings with it an economic impact and recovery to our county residents, will make it hard for resident to have the resources to obtain the supplies for the upcoming hurricane season.  However residents should still focus on the three steps of:  Have a Plan, Build a Kit and Stay Informed.

As residents are shopping for their basic needs each week, they should also take this time while they are at home to review their disaster kits to update their supplies for their kits moving forward.

We urged everyone not to consider it too soon to begin their hurricane preparedness, but rather to get prepared as St Lucia is within one of the most vulnerable parts of the world in terms of natural disasters. Clear property and the immediate surrounding and secure the environment.

 We also suggest that maybe each week you could just add a few food or gallons of water to build up your family hurricane supplies before June 1. You should review your current home insurance policies now before the hurricane season begins.

#Shop Rayneau. Visit or call our hardware stores conveniently located in Corinth 450-7247, Vide Bouteille 450-7246, Monchy 450-7248 or Babonneau 450-5759 to get all the materials needed for necessary repairs to property so you will be prepared for the hurricane season.

In the meantime, Please Stay Safe!