“The IMF [International Monetary Fund] estimates that hurricanes caused roughly $52 billion in damages to the region [from 1950 and 2014], and some losses are going underreported. These estimates, however, cannot quantify the loss of human lives and the social impact of devastating events,” said Mr. Adrian LaRoda, of the Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance and Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations, referencing the IMF article, Gone with the Wind: Assessing Hurricane Costs in the Caribbean.

Mr. LaRoda was speaking at the Friday, 30 May 2025, edition of the CARICOM Webinar Series on Disaster Preparedness for the 2025 Hurricane Season, co-hosted by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat. He demonstrated that while approaching systems usually afford an opportunity for adequate preparation, this is not always the case.

He recalled that in 2015, Hurricane Joaquin—a Category 4 storm that caused significant damage and had a devastating impact on the fishing industry—developed rapidly from a tropical depression to a major hurricane. The resulting damage was estimated at over $100 million, of which $20 million was to the fishing fleet, LaRoda recalled.He said that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) had placed the estimated damage from Hurricane Dorian at $3.4 billion, which amounted to over one quarter of the gross domestic product of The Bahamas.

The risks are real! Mrs. June Masters, CRFM Statistics and Information Analyst, provided a snapshot (at the May 9 CARICOM Webinar) of the losses suffered by the fisheries sector in selected CRFM Member States as a result of recent hurricanes, including Hurricane Beryl in 2024. 

Mitigating Risks from Hurricanes and Other Severe Weather Events

GENERAL GUIDANCE

On Hearing Advisory

• Continue normal activities but stay tuned to radio and television for further messages.

Hurricane or Tropical Storm Watch

• Review emergency preparedness requirements, especially family emergency plans.
• Continue to listen to weather advisories on radio.
• Be ready to take quick action in case of a Warning.
• Establish contact points.

Hurricane or Tropical Storm Warning

• Stay tuned to the radio for information.
• Protect property and personal possessions (including important documents).
• Place indoors, loose objects found in and around the yard.
• Fill up car with gasoline.
• Store water, food and essential medicines.
• Feed animals and pets and move indoors or loose.
• Know where you are going to shelter if the need arises.

After the Hurricane (or Tropical Storm)

• Assist in search and rescue.
• Seek medical attention for persons injured.
• Clean up debris and effect temporary repairs.
• Report damage to utilities.
• Assist in road clearance.
• Watch out for secondary hazards, fire, flooding, etc.
• Assist in community response efforts.
• Avoid sightseeing.
• Cooperate with Damage Assessors.

Courtesy CDEMA

Hurricane Preparedness Posters

The CRFM Secretariat has developed two printable posters on key action steps to take and securing vessels.

DOWNLOAD

Hurricane Information Page

We provide ready access to information for all our stakeholders and partners. We have pulled together a range of information on hurricanes on our Climate and Disaster Resilience in the Caribbean site.

You can access the video recordings and webinar presentations from CARICOM’s recent webinar series on this same page.

VISIT PAGE

CRFM Secretariat

Princess Margaret Drive Fisheries Compound P.O. Box 642 Belize City, BELIZE