Effects of Hurricane Wilma in The Bahamas

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Hurricane Wilma
Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Hurricane Wilma to the north of the Bahamas

Hurricane Wilma to the north of the Bahamas
Areas
affected		 The Bahamas
Date October 24, 2005
Highest
winds
95 mph (150 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
110 mph (180 km/h) (gusts)
Fatalities 1 direct
Damage $100 million (2005 USD)
$110 million (2007 USD)
Part of the
2007 Atlantic hurricane season

The effects of Hurricane Wilma in the Bahamas were generally unexpected and most concentrated on the western portion of Grand Bahama Island. Hurricane Wilma developed on October 15, 2005 in the Caribbean Sea, and after drifting and initially organizing slowly it explosively deepened on October 18 and October 19 to reach peak winds of 300 km/h (185 mph) and a record low pressure of 882 mbar (hPa). It weakened and struck eastern Mexico as a Category 4 hurricane, and subsequently accelerated northeastward and made landfall on southwestern Florida. It crossed the state, and briefly restrengthened in the open Atlantic Ocean before weakening and becoming an extratropical cyclone on October 26.

On October 24, Hurricane Wilma made its closest approach to The Bahamas, passing about 150 km (90 miles) north-northwest of Freeport.[1] While passing the archipelago, the hurricane produced hurricane force winds and a powerful storm surge, flooding southwestern coastal areas of Grand Bahama and destroying hundreds of buildings. Damage totaled about $100 million (2005 USD, $110 million 2008 USD), almost entirely on the western half of the island. The central portion of Grand Bahama, including in and around Freeport, reported minor to moderate damage, while the eastern end received little to no damage. One child died on the island from the flooding. Elsewhere in the Bahamas, moderate damage occurred on Abaco and Bimini, while islands further to the south reported minimal wind damage.

Contents

[edit] Preparations

At 1200 UTC on October 23, about 24 hours prior to Wilma making its closest approach to the archipelago, the government of The Bahamas issued a hurricane warning for the northwestern portion of the territory, including the Abacos, Andros Island, Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, and New Providence.[1] The government of the Bahamas advised citizens to rush preparations to completion, though many failed to fully prepare, believing Wilma would pass through the archipelago as a tropical storm. Many homes failed to board windows or apply hurricane shutters, as well. Officials ordered evacuations for the eastern and western portion of Grand Bahama island, and established multiple shelters on the island. Few evacuated, with estimates ranging from 300[2] to 1,000 people evacuating.[3]

[edit] Impact

Damaged homes in Freeport
Damaged homes in Freeport

On Grand Bahama Island, Wilma produced sustained winds of 155 km/h (95 mph) and a gust of 178 km/h (111 mph),[4] as well as a storm surge of over 3.7 m (12 ft)[1] and reportedly as high as 6.1 m (20 ft) along the southwestern portion of the island[3] that reached about 305 m (1,000 ft) inland. The surge caused large scale flooding[5] that washed away or destroyed about 800 homes.[6]

Significant damage was reported in coastal areas of Grand Bahama Island, with widespread destruction of roofs and vehicles along with uprooting of poles and trees.[1] More than 7,000 people on the island were directly affected, many of whom had not fully recovered from Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne during the previous year. Power and telephone services were disrupted throughout the island.[3] About 200 commercial buildings were extremely damaged and recommended by engineers not to be repaired,[5] including a police station on the western end and several buildings in Freeport.[7] 400 buildings throughout the island sustained damage to some degree, and more than 500 automobiles were flooded,[5] including five police cars.[7] The storm surge raised 54 corpses in five graveyards on the island, as well. Several resorts were closed for an extended period of time,[5] all on the western portion of the island. One hotel, the Xanadu Beach and Marine Resort, reported about $3.5 million in damage (2005 USD, $3.9 million 2008 USD) to its property, including numerous destroyed windows designed to withstand hurricane force winds.[8] Further to the east, numerous houses and commercial buildings lost their roofs in the city of Freeport. There, one serious traffic accident occurred when the hurricane overturned a bus, leaving the driver with multiple broken bones. Several other traffic accidents were reported in the area, though none were serious. During the passage of the hurricane, five cases of looting were reported, of which one person was caught in the process.[7] Flooding from the hurricane killed one child on the island,[3] the only casualty directly related to Wilma in the archipelago.[1] Damage was estimated at about $100 million (2005 USD, $110 million 2008 USD) on the western portion of the island. Excluding the southwestern region of Grand Bahama, the majority of the island reported minor wind damage, and the eastern end of the island reported little to no damage.[5]

Damage was also heavy on Bimini island, where heavy rainfall and a powerful storm surge caused severe damage to homes, trees, and utility poles.[3] There, the hurricane severely damaged a hotel and eight waterfront homes. On Abaco, eight homes and a governmental clinic were destroyed. The storm surge destroyed a government dock and caused flooding and erosion near the coast.[9] New Providence and the Berry Islands also reported minor wind damage from Wilma, primarily from downed trees and power lines.[3]

Throughout the Bahamas, Hurricane Wilma damaged or destroyed about 200 homes, displaced around 1,500 residents, and caused damage to public infrastructure such as schools, roads, health clinics, and electrical systems.[10]

[edit] Aftermath

Fallen trees in the Freeport area
Fallen trees in the Freeport area

By about two days after the passage of Hurricane Wilma, 800 residents on Grand Bahama remained in shelters,[3] including 65 families who lost their homes and stayed in a hotel set up as a government shelter in Freeport.[5] On the island of Bimini, most residents who evacuated to shelters returned to their homes within two days of the hurricane.[3] The Bahamian Red Cross quickly assessed the damage on Grand Bahama and Bimini, and successfully requested to be included under the federation's hurricane appeal for Central America. Local Red Cross chapters mobilized all available resources to assist the residents most affected. The Bahamian Red Cross began a 3-month program to distribute food and other items to 1,000 of the 3,500 affected families, primarily on Grand Bahama, with the remaining 2,500 families receiving assistance from the government and other organizations. Volunteers delivered building materials and provided water vouchers to those affected. In Nassau, the Red Cross disaster contingency stock sent a boat with food items, blankets, health kits, tarpaulins and water.[11] About a week after the hurricane, the United States Agency for International Development began providing $50,000 (2005 USD, $55,000 2008 USD) to the Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency for the purchase and distribution of emergency supplies. The agency also provided $9,000 (2005 USD, $9,900 2008 USD) for locally-contracted helicopter assessments in the affected areas.[10] Red Cross agencies throughout the Caribbean Sea provided hygienic kits, plastic sheeting, blankets, and jerry cans.[11]

Electricians restored power to the area around Freeport by the day after[2] and much of the western portion of the island by about three weeks after the hurricane.[5] Work crews quickly removed road debris and tree limbs, and by the day after the passage of Wilma most roads were cleared. As most people failed to prepare significantly for the hurricane, hardware stores and food markets were generally well-stocked.[2] The passage of the hurricane left between 1,000 to 4,000 people and hundreds of animals homeless. In response, the Grand Bahama Humane Society distributed about 340 kg (750 lbs.) of dog food and treated or euthanized injured animals, depending on their condition.[6] The earlier effects of Wilma on Mexico left many tourist areas closed, leading to a 10% increase in tourism in the Bahamas in December 2005 due to the unavailability in resorts such as Cancún.[12] By about three weeks after the hurricane, the airport on Grand Bahama Island was reopened, and all resorts except for one were also reopened;[13] the last resort was reopened about two months after the hurricane.[14]

[edit] See also

Tropical cyclones Portal
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[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Richard J. Pasch, Eric S. Blake, Hugh D. Cobb III, and David P. Roberts (2006). Hurricane Wilma Tropical Cyclone Report. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  2. ^ a b c Bahamas Vacation Guide (2005). Hurricane Wilma Ravages Grand Bahama. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (2005). Caribbean: Hurricane Wilma Emergency Appeal No. 05EA024. ReliefWeb. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  4. ^ Jeff Masters (2005). Update on Hurricane Wilma - October 24, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Amy Royster. "Wilma's Waves Devastate Grand Bahama Communities", Palm Beach Post, 2005-12-04. Retrieved on 2007-02-19. 
  6. ^ a b Elizabeth (Tip) Burrows (2005). Hurricane Wilma and Grand Bahama. Pegasus Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  7. ^ a b c Jeremy Francis (2005-10-27). Freeport Sustained Considerable Damage From Hurricane Wilma. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  8. ^ Lisa S. King (2005-10-31). Most Resorts Fared Well During Storm, But Not Xanadu Beach. Freeport News. Retrieved on 2007-02-20.
  9. ^ Kevin Deutsch. "Islanders Assess Damage After Sea Takes Homes", Palm Beach Post, 2005-11-01. Retrieved on 2007-02-19. 
  10. ^ a b US Agency for International Development (2005). USAID provides assistance to the Bahamas hurricane victims. ReliefWeb. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  11. ^ a b Caribbean Red Cross Societies (2005). Red Cross responds to 'Wilma' on Grand Bahama. Retrieved on 2007-02-18.
  12. ^ Avery Johnson. "South Looks Up: Warm-weather destinations are seeing near-record highs for bookings, rates", Wall Street Journal, 2005-12-04. Retrieved on 2007-02-19. 
  13. ^ Laszlo Buhasz. "Caribbean hot spots sweep up in hurricanes' wake", 2005-11-12. Retrieved on 2007-02-19. 
  14. ^ Jane Wooldridge. "Hurricane Report", Richmond Times Dispatch, 2005-12-11. Retrieved on 2007-02-19.