Let’s take a look again at...‘Ivan-The Terrible’

For the first time in years, a hurricane called Ivan, dubbed, “Ivan-the Terrible”, showed its true colours, sweeping through the Caribbean and Florida, leaving a trail of destruction wherever it went. The last hurricane to have caused that much damage in the Caribbean, especially in neighbouring Tobago, was Hurricane Flora, which struck in 1963. In fact, Ivan was the worst to hit the Caribbean since Luis, in 1990. Ivan was “unusual,” with its extreme southernly course on its approach to the Caribbean across the Atlantic Ocean.

Hurricane Ivan definitely showed its fury, killing some 50 people in all, from Grenada, Jamaica, Tobago and Santo Domingo. It lashed for about three weeks, bringing devastation, destruction and death. In fact, Ivan is the first hurricane in living memory to start so low in the south and move right through the Caribbean and into mainland North America. For the first time in years, Trinidad and Tobago was at a stand-still, shutting down nearly all of its services in both islands for an entire day, as TT braced for Hurricane Ivan when it neared Tobago on Tuesday, September 7, 2004.

Aware that in the past, Trinidad had always been spared, quite a few people ignored the hurricane warnings posted by the meteorological office and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to stay off the streets. Many people took up the saying once again — “God is a Trini.” The “limers” hit the pubs and others went about their business as normal. Some people opened for business, not fearing the fury of which might come, having faith once again that “God is a Trini,” confident we would be spared. Ironically, even cynically, as Trinbagonians prepared for the worst, Hurricane Ivan became the butt of jokes, especially among radio broadcasters. As Tobago, Grenada, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Cuba, engage in the re-building process, people are still in awe of the power of Hurricane Ivan and the death and destruction it caused.

So far, Ivan has hit 11 Caribbean countries, including Barbados, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Cayman Islands, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Cuba. it is now pounding several states in America. However, the Caribbean countries most affected by Hurricane Ivan were Grenada, Jamaica and Cuba. One person said recently: “If hurricanes were a club, Ivan would probably be elected chairman this year.” The following is a compilation of the destruction pounded by Ivan, as he made his stops along the Caribbean trail over the past month.

Tobago
At least one woman, Ursula Jordan, 32, died and several others were injured. Many more were left temporarily homeless as heavy winds ripped off the roofs of several homes. Hurricane Ivan roared in with a bang by Tuesday September 7 in the afternoon; most of the island was without electricity especially in the North Eastern districts including Speyside, Charlotteville, L’Anse Fourmi, Parlatuvier. According to Newsday correspondent Karl Cupid, there was also a breakdown in telephone communication, both cellular and land lines within the island, with the north east end virtually cut off. Trees were uprooted and fell on buildings, costing the island several millions of dollars in damages. Following the damage, Prime Minister Patrick Manning promised financial aid to Tobago and other Caricom countries.

Chief Secretary, Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Orville London, said NEMA’s assessment report indicated that damages were estimated to be approximately TT$18 million. It was previously over TT$30 million , but a large portion of the losses have already been covered. Public buildings and schools were also seriously destroyed. In addition to damages to roads and drainage work, the cost of restoration and infrastructural damage amounted to over TT$4 million. NEMA recommended that approximately TT$10 million was needed for upgrading of shelters in preparation for future hurricanes.  This includes TT$8 million for construction of an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) on the island.

Barbados
One person was reported to have died when Hurricane Ivan struck the island in the second week of September. According to reports from Storm Carribean, the Caribbean Hurricane Network, Barbados experienced “mere” tropical storm force winds, with gusts up to about 80-90 miles per hour (mph), with 95 percent wind and five percent rain. The south coast of Barbados experienced a great deal of gusty winds which ripped off the roofs of houses and a large portion of the island was without an electricity supply.

Grenada
Grenada was the worst hit by “Ivan — The Terrible” in the Caribbean region, causing about 39 deaths and pummelling approximately 90 percent of the country. In fact, Newsday’s Francis Joseph, who covered the aftermath in Grenada, described the island as a “heartbreaking sight.”
On Sunday last, at least 20 people were reported to have died, but the figure climbed during the week as predicted by Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell.

Security forces from Grenada and other Caribbean countries had to secure buildings in the capital, St George’s, while residents on foot or in cars with smashed windshields searched for scarce water, food and gasoline. Most business places had been looted, roofs of homes blown off and many more were battered, including the island’s hotels and public buildings. Food and medical supplies were sent in by boats to St George’s. Grenada’s economy has been totally destroyed, its nutmeg crop and industry destroyed. York House, the home of the Grenada Parliament was also destroyed. There was a complete breakdown of law and order and looting was so bad that Mitchell, whose home was also destroyed, had to ask Caricom for help.

Subsequently, soldiers from TT, Barbados, Antigua and St Kitts, were flown to the island to help restore peace and order to the island and a curfew was put into effect. Mitchell declared a State of Emergency to curtail the movements of more than 250 prisoners who escaped from the island’s Richmond Hill Prison which had also crumpled under Ivan’s wrath. The damage was widespread and a large portion of the country’s agricultural sector was destroyed. The Grenada National Stadium, the venue for the 2007 Cricket World Cup, was severely damaged. The US government declared Grenada a disaster area and the possibility of an initial provision of US$500,000 in emergency relief for the island.

Jamaica
The Jamaican government had to declare a State of Emergency after Hurricane Ivan unleashed its fury on the island with winds nearing 155 mph.
By late last week, the death toll, which was previously reported as 11 deaths had risen to 19, and several people were seriously injured, as the storm sent huge waves crashing down on shores and its rains provoked flash floods. A Reuters report stated that half a million Jamaicans, over one-sixth of the island’s population, were urged to evacuate low-lying areas, including areas close to the capital, Kingston. By the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, stores and shelters filled with more than 15,000 people, were running short of food.

There was large-scale damage to housing and infrastructure with many buildings having their roofs ripped off and suffering flood damage. Large areas were cut off by severe flooding and debris and much of the country was without electricity.  The most affected parts of the county were the rural areas in the western part of the island. Other reports said that waves broke more than 30 feet high in the northwestern resort town of Negril, crashing over a seawall and the rooftops of single-storey hotel bungalows and restaurants, damaging many. Uprooted palm trees lay atop buildings and against walls, while armed security guards kept watch. Jamaican police killed two alleged looters and four officers were wounded in shootouts with looters, officials said.

St Lucia
In St Lucia, only a few injuries were reported and about a dozen homes were damaged with roofs blown off, uprooted trees falling on houses, and rough seas invading several homes. A news report from the island said overall damage was limited. The east coast town of Dennery seemed to have taken the worst blows, with the police station losing its rear wall to the sea and some residents having to evacuate homes that were flooded and damaged by the waves as well. Bay Street in Laborie was similarly invaded by sea water and the Marine Police Unit in Vieux Fort was flooded by the Caribbean Sea as well. A few homes in the heights of Au Leon lost their roofs and a family in Georgeville (central Castries) moved out of their residence just before a large tree flattened it almost to the ground, but no personal injury occurred.

St Vincent and the Grenadines
Hurricane Ivan caused damage in St Vincent and the Grenadines as well, but was spared the full brunt of its force.  No one died but some minor injuries were reported. Caribbean reports indicated that the islands experienced high winds and the aftermath included downed trees, sand, salt and leaves coating everything, with water, both sea and surface run off causing damage. Worst hit was the windward side of the island, especially the southern grenadines.

A few houses collapsed and a number of roofs came off in Paget Farm, La Rompe and Friendship and most of the island was without electricity.
Business places close to the beach, Friendship Bay Beach Bar and the Bequia Beach Club sustained damage to structures and Friendship Beach itself was badly damaged from the heavy seas. The Turtle Sanctuary  was destroyed.

Georgetown, Colonaire and Langley Park, suffered the lost of several board houses and damage to other structures near the sea. Banana crops are reported to be severely affected by Ivan’s strong winds. The world cup qualifying football match between St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Kitts that was scheduled that week (September 8) had to be postponed.

Cuba
Cuba had to evacuate 1.3 million, 200,000 in the province of Pinar del Rio, where strong winds and heavy rainfall uprooted trees and knocked down traffic lights. One resident said: “Luckily we have been saved from the eye of the hurricane.” However, even before Hurricane Ivan hit the island, there were predictions that the storm would have caused great damage to housing and the tobacco industry. The province, which grows tobacco for Cuban cigars, was hit by hurricanes Isidore and Lili in 2002, and caused US$40(22.27m sterling pounds) of damage to the industry. Waves of up to 15 to 20 feet reportedly crashed onto the southern coast, uprooting trees and downed power lines. No casualties were reported due to the evacuation plan set up by the government. Cuba has been identified as a model in hurricane risk management in developing countries by the United States.

Mexico
Stormy winds of up to 40 kph (25 mph) began to affect Mexico on the first day, shutting down the airport on the island of Cozumel, halting the arrival of cruise ships and prohibited all maritime navigation. Some 12,000 residents and tourists had to be evacuated from the eastern seaboard of the Yucatan peninsula in low-lying tourist areas around Cancun, as choppy seas and heavy rain arrived.

Cayman Islands
There were at least four unconfirmed deaths in the Cayman Islands and the damage was described as “catastrophic,” with most houses almost destroyed. Residents reported that parts of the island were under eight feet (2.5 metres) of water. Locals and British expatriates described roofs “peeling off like they were fastened on with Velcro” and trucks and cars bobbing on the rising floodwater like bath-toys. Reports indicated that roofs were blown off, floods were everywhere and trees were down.  In another report, residents said the wind howling during the night was “loud and scary.”

“Many, if not all, buildings in the capital George Town, suffered damage.The road is littered with large rocks, roofs, wood, signs, sand, palm leaves and coconuts. People are walking around in awe of the damage,” one resident said. Houses and businesses were also flooded and an airport runway was submerged. All three islands were reported to be without electricity and the authorities reported severe damage on the islands. There were also reports of looting in George Town. Expensive yachts were beached, tossed to the shore like toys, Associated Press writer, Peter Prengaman said. “Well-built homes were reduced to piles of splintered wood, others had roofs sheared off, palm trees and utility poles were snapped in two or uprooted,” he described.

Hurricanes
Hurricanes are essentially heat engines that feed off warm water. Sea temperatures are one degree Fahrenheit, and in some places, up to two degrees warmer. They are tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Basin (Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico) and in the Pacific, east of the International Date Line. In addition, wind shear — contrary winds that tend to tear hurricanes apart — has been very low this year, one report said. ABC’s Accu Weather report stated that hurricanes are among the most destructive forces on the planet.

They can flatten vast areas with their winds, and inundate coastal areas with a wall of water, or storm surge that they push before them.   They can spawn tornadoes and cause floods after they break up. Hurricane formation requires warm tropical water, high humidity, light winds all coming together between eight and 20 degrees latitude.  The spark that turns these ingredients into a hurricane is convergence of surface winds.

People’s Attitudes
TT’s Chief Meteorologist, Emmanuel Moolchan, believes that because the destruction of Hurricane Ivan came so close to home, people would become more serious in heeding hurricane warnings in the future. Trinidad has become accustomed to being spared from the wrath of hurricanes in the past, therefore a number of people ignored warnings from NEMA to stay off the streets and the MET office’s tropical storm warnings. While a large portion of TT’s citizens heeded the warnings, some still ignored the advisories. Moolchan felt this would now change, with TT citizens having seen the destruction  caused in Tobago.

“I think people are becoming and should become more aware of the warnings and take them very seriously,” he said. He pointed out that when the MET office sends out a hurricane or tropical storm warning, it is because the country would most likely be affected within 24 hours. Moolchan noted that a few people in other islands have been killed because they did not take the warning seriously, and pointed out this is an example of the consequences of ignored hurricane warnings.

Hurricanes and their names
Forecasters give names to tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, to avoid confusion when more than one storm is being followed at the same time. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said at times, names help give hurricanes a “personality.” A storm is named when it reaches tropical storm strength with winds of 39 mph and becomes a hurricane or typhoon when its wind speed reaches 74 mph.
Before storms were given names, hurricane forecasters had to refer to them by saying something like, “the storm 500 miles east-southeast of Miami,” but six hours later the storm’s position would change.
When more storms were occuring simultaneously, making it clear which storm was being described, made the job more difficult.
Forecasters formally began naming Atlantic Basin in 1950, using names in alpeabetic order, example, Able, Baker and Charlie.
They started using female, English names in 1953 and switched to alternating male and female names in 1979.
As an extra note — the first three male names used, Bob, David and Frederick have all been retired because they did tremendous damage.

Where did “Ivan-The Terrible”
get his nickname? Ivan IV Vasiljevich The Terrible (1530-1584) the son of Vasili III was a Grand Prince. He became the first Russian Tsar, at age 17. He reformed the government and Court, conquered Kazan Khan (1552) and Astrakhan Khan (1556). the annexation of Siberia to the Russian State (1581)  began  under his rule.

Home policy of Ivan IV was accompanied with repressions and strong enslaving of peasants. The name “Ivan the Terrible” conjours up images of senseless cruelty and paranoia. Yet, for many in Russia, he was a national hero. Ivan appeared to be a man of huge contradictions, a man of God who personally tortured his victims and beat his own son to death, a hardened despot who often behaved like a coward, asking his ally, Elizabeth I of England, for political asylum. He was a man who believed himself chosen to save the souls of his people, but brutally put thousands to death in carefully orchestrated purges.

Tenth Tropical Storm Jeanne, forms in the Caribbean
Tropical Storm Jeanne formed in the northeastern Caribbean sea last week, prompting storm alerts for Puerto Rico and a host of small islands. Jeanne was the tenth tropical storm or hurricane in the Atlantic this year. Hurricane Ivan, one of the most powerful storms on record, caused great damage in the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida... And it is not over yet. An 11th tropical storm, Karl, is also following after Jeanne.