The recent sound of high wind and heavy rain, as the latest tropical cyclone passed south of Anguilla, was another poignant reminder of our vulnerability to adverse weather events. It has been almost 3 years since we experienced the worst storm in our history, Hurricane Irma, which pounded us with 185 miles per hour winds — and gusts of up to 215 miles per hour. The devastation was unbelievable and left us reeling. We are still in recovery mode, as we rebuild critical infrastructure, and expect this to be the case for several more years to come.
Hurricanes are not just devastating to physical infrastructure but also to the environment and the economy. As much as we prepare to safeguard ourselves and our properties, in reality we are at the mercies of mother- nature and there is no telling, from one storm to another, how we will fare. Coastal erosion, destruction of homes, utilities and vegetation, loss of employment and, worst of all, loss of life are the hazards we face every year. We have come to accept it as a way of life — the price we pay for living in paradise but, at times, it can be overwhelming and disheartening when we have to continually rebuild what nature has destroyed.
Irma was, by far, the strongest hurricane we have experienced overall but, in 1999, 18 years before that,was Hurricane Lenny which caused the worst flooding in our history. Lenny snuck up on us. Having already passed us, and heading west, it changed course and made landfall. It dumped so much rain that there was flooding everywhere. There are many harrowing stories of people awaking to see items floating by, climbing on tables and countertops to escape the rising water, swimming to safety, being rescued in boats etc. Many animals lost their lives during Lenny and the flood damage in homes was widespread. I can’t think of a single person who can boast of a completely dry house during that hurricane. When it was all over, roads were impassable and some areas completely cut off. It took several days for the water to recede to a level where it was safe to traverse certain areas.
The most memorable hurricane before Lenny must have been Luis in 1995. Luis was a category 3, which paled in comparison to Hurricane Irma for which no category has yet been created. However, It caused extensive infrastructural damage because of the length of time it battered Anguilla. Luis gave us a thrashing for 36 hours. It stood over us and would not move. We thought its torture would never end. People tried to hold in windows and doors for hours — refusing to let Luis get the better of them, but Luis tore off the roofs instead. Destruction was everywhere. For many adults, Luis was the first real hurricane they had ever experienced, as there were very few memorable onessince Hurricanes Donna in 1960, Frederic in 1979 and Klaus in 1984. Some looked forward eagerly to Luis making landfall, so that they could have the experience. However, after a few hours they had enough, and many of them were heard afterwards saying they ‘never want to see another hurricane again’.
While we can look back on these past experiences and find humour in the destruction they left behind, we do have to take steps to ensure we are more resilient because, it is clear that the storms are only getting stronger. It means we too must build stronger; we must ensure our utilities systems are built in a way that they are not easily destroyed; we must have a contributory unemployment fund for our workers; we must diversify our economy to reduce reliance on tourism — and we must be able to feed ourselves.
Having gone through all of these storms/hurricanes, we must have learned by now that we cannot continue to do the same things over and over. It is time for a different response — a new approach — or we will find ourselves always rebuilding and never progressing; always recovering, never thriving. Anguilla must position itself to withstand any storm, and bounce back quickly and achieve real growth. It is the only way that we can get ourselves out of crisis mode and build a country for the future.
