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Figure 2 Showing disaster occurrences by continent, major category and type for the period 1994-2013.
Source: http://www.cred.be/publications
thE ExtREmE VULnERAbILIty oF CARIbbEAn 2013 (figure 3b). Natural disasters can have catastrophic
SmALL ISLAnd dEVELopIng StAtES (SIdS) to and devastating impacts on the environment, economic
nAtURAL dISAStERS development and social structure of these islands. Severe
damage to the built infrastructure that has supported
Small islands have characteristics that make them communities on Caribbean islands for decades can place
especially vulnerable to a range of natural events a huge strain on economic activity. The vulnerability of
which include earthquakes, volcanic activity, tsunamis, Caribbean SIDS to natural disasters is underscored by
hurricanes and tropical storms, excessive rainfall, storm their geographic location - in the regional belt of major
surges (UNEP 2008). Storms are by far the most frequent hurricanes within the Caribbean (Figure 3a), seismic
natural hazard to affect small states, accounting for 54% of location and topography. This state-of-affairs has serious
all recorded disasters in these nations between 1994 and implications for Caribbean Electric utility companies.
industry Journal 3
