World Bank $54m recovery plan after Hurricane Beryl

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The government on Monday unveiled a $108 million recovery initiative in collaboration with the World Bank to rebuild critical infrastructure and strengthen disaster preparedness after Hurricane Beryl caused widespread devastation to the island’s economy last year.

 

The massive devastation to the economy following Beryl’s passage on July 1 prompted the government to begin strategising to prevent a repeat of last year’s event. This led to the US$54 million Beryl Emergency Response and Recovery Project.

 

The initiative aims to rebuild vital infrastructure, protect communities, ensure the sustainable recovery of the fishing industry, and boost the country’s disaster preparedness, laying the foundation for greater resilience in the face of climate risks.

 

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Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams announced this new alliance at the launch of Coastal Hazards and Earthquake Smart Month in St Joseph.

 

“Our recovery action recognises that resilient recovery will entail rebuilding infrastructure, climate adaptation, and strengthening disaster preparedness. The government partnered with the World Bank to prepare the Beryl Emergency Response and Recovery Project,” Abrahams said.

 

He recalled the recovery efforts of the government following the destruction caused by Beryl.

 

Abrahams said: “The Government of Barbados in this vein has made substantial efforts to address the most urgent needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, and these include the relocation and repair of fishing vessels, removal of debris from various entities including the fishing complexes, rehabilitation of the port, [and] rehabilitation [and] futureproofing of the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex breakwater.”

 

He explained the need to prepare for future climate risks, including sea level rise, storm surges, and tsunamis.

 

“Cognisant of this evolving multi-hazard landscape, the Technical Standing Committee on Coastal Hazards was established to manage the national components of coastal hazard warning systems, to provide tsunami and earthquake awareness, to educate the public on how to prepare for tsunamis and earthquakes, and to launch initiatives like this Tsunami and Earthquake Smart Month,” the home affairs minister said.

 

Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit, Dr Leo Brewster, who is co-chair of the Technical Standing Committee on Coastal Hazards, underscored Barbados’ vulnerability to coastal hazards such as hurricanes, storm surges, and flooding.

 

He explained that these hazards cause additional problems for the island’s shores: “Every winter we know that we go through a winter swell season starting from the beginning of December through to almost the end of April, where we get abnormally high waves affecting the coastline from cold weather fronts that are affecting the northern Atlantic and making their way down to the Caribbean.”

 

“The perennial problem of coastal erosion as a result of ongoing wave activity on the coastline [and] sometimes how structures are placed to prevent and inhibit certain activities in terms of wave action on the coast that can either contribute to erosion or provide protection from erosion.”

 

He stressed the importance of monitoring sea level rise, land slippage, and cliff failure, especially in vulnerable areas like the Scotland District.

 

“Land slippage becomes a serious concern when you are on a coastline that has a high-energy wavefront as we do in this parish of St Joseph and St Andrew, where you’re literally experiencing the raw power of the Atlantic Ocean on your coastline.”

 

Dr Brewster added: “Then you have the issue of potential slippage from rainfall within [the] clay soils causing [the] land to slip. More importantly as well, we have [the] issue of cliff failure whereby the front of [the] cliff is undercut to [the] point where [the] weight of [the] overbearing load gets too heavy and it literally breaks off. You never know when it’s going to happen, but it can happen, and it is a reality.”

 

Abrahams highlighted extensive work undertaken by the CZMU over two decades to improve resilience along its coastlines through donor-aided and multi-sectoral projects.

 

The Climate Resilient and Sustainable Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme aims to enhance the island’s ability to withstand climate-related impacts while expanding coastal zone management services for citizens and visitors alike. This will be executed through two primary components: climate-related infrastructure development and strengthening institutional capacity.

 

Abrahams also commended UNESCO’s Caribbean Tsunami Information Centre for its tsunami-ready recognition programme.

 

This year’s Coastal Hazards and Earthquake Smart Month was launched under the theme: Building Resilience from Coastline to Community.

 

Abrahams stressed that developing resilient communities is key for disaster recovery: “If something happens, it’s not as bad as it otherwise could be; we put ourselves in [the] best position to stand [the] best chance possible—whether that’s hurricane straps in your house or building a proper foundation.”

He urged Barbadians: “Build resilience . . .put ourselves in a position to give ourselves [the] best chance possible that if something happens we can quickly bounce back from it.”

(LG)

 

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