2020 HURRICANE SEASON CARIBBEAN October update Emergency preparedness and response in times of Group (INSARAG). OCHA is pre-positioning personal COVID-19. Governments across the region have protective equipment for responders and will take all implemented physical distancing and lockdown measures in necessary measures, in line with government protocols, to response to the COVID-19 outbreak, greatly complicating ensure the safety of responders and affected communities. preparedness actions and creating a dynamic response Photo: UN/OCHA/Mark Garten environment, as countries brace for the brunt of a potential COVID-19 operating environment provides opportunity two-tier crisis.3 Given that the COVID-19 emergency is to strengthen humanitarian-development collaboration. overlapping with the hurricane season, regional coordination To build back better and strengthen the resilience of structures and mechanisms must be adapted to the new governments and communities to withstand the impact of KEY MESSAGES operating environment in order to effectively support national crises and disasters, early alignment and joint planning of preparedness and response efforts,ensuring alignment, humanitarian and development efforts have proven helpful. OCHA Extremely active season, three to six major hurricanes Ongoing efforts to achieve operational readiness. complementarity and coordination with the ongoing national This will be especially important during the 2020 hurricane In early August, the US National Oceanic and Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean expected. and regional response to COVID-19. season given the multidimensional impacts of COVID-19 in Atmospheric Administration revised its outlook for the (ROLAC) and UN agencies continue to actively work with the the region, which threatens to reverse the hard-earned hurricane season, predicting 19-25 named storms, with 7-11 humanitarian community, key national and international COVID-19 exacerbates socio-economic vulnerability and development gains of the past decade and exacerbate becoming hurricanes, including 3-6 major hurricanes partners as well as the main coordination actors at the country increases humanitarian needs. The COVID-19 crisis has socio-economic vulnerability, while at the same time (Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale). The and regional levels to enhance operational readiness. OCHA had a significant impact on economic and social life in the diminishing the resilience of communities to recover from season is currently on pace to become the most active ever, ROLAC is producing information products for governments Caribbean. The restrictive measures implemented across disasters. COVID-19 not only presents an exceptional already producing 26 named storms, including three major and international responders and delivering virtual information the region to contain the spread of the virus have greatly challenge but also a unique opportunity to strengthen hurricanes, which is more than double the long-term average and training sessions to support partners, Resident exacerbated the socio-economic situation, leading to collaboration between development, health and humanitarian 1 of 12 for an entire season. In fact, the season has been so Coordinator Offices and UN Country Teams in their increased unemployment, growing genderbased violence response efforts in the region. Accordingly, preparedness and active that the US National Hurricane Center resorted to using preparation for the peak of the hurricane season. In doing so, and protection risks, and the disruption of supply chains response efforts should include active participation of the Greek alphabet for only the second time in history after the efforts are being made to ensure the incorporation of lessons which threatens food and nutrition security.4 In many cases, development actors and health entities in order to ensure that number of storms exceeded regular naming conventions. learned from the 2017 and 2019 hurricane seasons in order to government assistance channeled through national social early recovery and health considerations are integrated into Despite 2020’s frantic pace, there has fortunately been an address gaps in preparedness and to reinforce coordination security schemes has failed to reach the most vulnerable planning efforts for a moreeffective and efficient response. absence of major hurricane impacts so far, but some weaker mechanisms for improved response readiness. who depend on the informal sector for their jobs and storms have still considerably affected countries across the livelihoods.5 As a result, the COVID-19 crisis has significantly The UN supports national and regional organizations and Caribbean. OCHA continues to support the Regional Response increased poverty and inequality across the region, which structures to ensure effective and efficient response. An Mechanism. Following the destruction brought by the 2017 could potentially deteriorate the fragile security situation in effective and efficient humanitarian response depends on Trend shows increase in the intensity of extreme weather hurricane season, OCHA ROLAC embarked on a capacity- some countries and add an extra layer of complexity to robust in-country response capacity and strong local events. Storms impacting the Caribbean are becoming building process with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency response and recovery efforts in the region. structures and organizations, including local increasingly more powerful, producing increased rainfall and Management Agency (CDEMA) through a Caribbean non-governmental organizations and the Red Cross and Red higher storm surge. The 2017 hurricane season, the fifth most preparedness project funded by the European Civil Protection UN response contingent upon national policy. OCHA Crescent Movement, to support government efforts to deliver active season on record, featured 17 named storms and and Humanitarian Aid Operations. In a series of workshops ROLAC, UN agencies and international humanitarian appropriate, efficient and timely humanitarian assistance to multiple Category 5 hurricanes.2 Two major hurricanes, Irma carried out in CDEMA’s sub-hubs (Antigua and Barbuda, organizations are prepared to respond to an emergency in affected populations. At the national level, under the and Maria, wreaked havoc on Caribbean islands that year, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago), OCHA ROLAC the Caribbean in support of national response efforts. leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator (RC), the UN aims affecting millions of people and causing major damages and worked closely with CDEMA and national counterparts to However, international surge capacity and remote support to strengthen the capacities of national and local organizations losses as well as significant human casualties. In September strengthen joint assessments, coordination and information will largely depend on government policies on the to prepare for and respond to crises. At the regional level, 2019, Hurricane Dorian became the strongest Atlantic management to enhance the response capacity of the acceptance of international assistance in the context of together with CDEMA, efforts are aimed at improving hurricane on record to directly impact a landmass when it Regional Response Mechanism (RRM). OCHA will continue to COVID-19. Upon request from governments, OCHA is readiness and response across the Caribbean region through violently struck the northwestern islands of The Bahamas.3 bolster the capacity of the RRM and, when activated, provide prepared to mobilize context-appropriate response support shared preparedness standards and response protocols as Both the increased frequency and intensity of storms in the support to CDEMA’s Regional Coordination Centre in through remote assistance and the deployment of response well as through strengthening the RRM. To help bolster these region mean less time for recovery between disaster events accordance with the principles, procedures and protocols teams, including UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination efforts, OCHA ROLAC established a Humanitarian Advisory for affected governments and populations. agreed to by CDEMA and OCHA. (UNDAC) and the International Search and Rescue Advisory Team (HAT) in Barbados to support the UN RC in strengthening localized readiness and response capacities in the highly vulnerable Eastern Caribbean. The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to Coordinate the global emergency response to save lives and protect people in humanitarian crises. We advocate for effective and principled humanitarian action by all, for all. www.unocha.org Bahamas Atlantic Turks and Ocean Caicos Islands Cuba British Mexico Dominican Republic Virgin Islands Cayman Anguilla Islands Saint Martin Antigua Belize Jamaica Haiti Saint Kitts and Nevis Montserrat and Barbuda Dominica Guatemala Honduras Caribbean Sea St. Lucia Barbados St. Vincent and the Grenadines El Salvador Nicaragua Grenada Trinidad and Tobago Panama Costa Rica Venezuela North Pacific Ocean Colombia Guyana Suriname Emergency preparedness and response in times of COVID-19 operating environment provides opportunity to COVID-19. Governments across the region have implemented strengthen humanitarian-development collaboration. To physical distancing and lockdown measures in response to the build back better and strengthen the resilience of governments COVID-19 outbreak, greatly complicating preparedness actions and communities to withstand the impact of crises