The effects of Hurricane Charley in Jamaica included one fatality and at least $4.1 million in damages. Forming out of a
tropical wave on August 9, 2004, Charley quickly tracked through the eastern Caribbean and attained tropical storm status on August 10. While passing south of Jamaica on August 11, the storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane. During its passage of Jamaica, Charley had maximum winds of , a low-end Category 1 hurricane. Turning north, the storm impacted western Cuba as a Category 3 storm before making landfall in Florida as a strong Category 4. The storm eventually dissipated on August 15. As Charley approached Jamaica, officials issued tropical storm watches and warnings before issuing a hurricane watch. Two cruise ships were diverted from docking in Jamaica, affecting 5,700 passengers. Numerous shelters were set up across the island; however, relatively few people sought refuge in them.
Although it was only a Category 1 hurricane, Charley caused significant damage in southern Jamaica. Saint Elizabeth Parish sustained the worst damage. About 750 farmers reported damage, and at one point, flooding isolated 30 families. The only fatality in Jamaica occurred after a man attempted to rescue a family but was swept away by flood waters. Following the storm, search and rescue teams were deployed to flooded regions. Days later, officials allocated roughly $7.6 million (
JMD; US$86,000) to repair damaged roads. Residents in areas that sustained severe agricultural losses also requested assistance from the government.
Background
![Charley 2004 track](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Charley_2004_track.png)
Hurricane Charley began as a
tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa in early August 2004. Tracking westward, the system gradually organized and was declared a tropical depression on August 9 while located roughly south-southeast of
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate) ...
. The following day, the depression intensified into a tropical storm and was given the name Charley after entering the eastern Caribbean. Quickly tracking northwest, the small storm intensified.
Late on August 11, as Charley traveled south of Jamaica, it attained hurricane intensity, with winds reaching . Over the following days, the storm curved northeast and impacted western Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane before striking
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
as an intense Category 4 hurricane with winds up to on August 13. The weakened Charley rapidly tracked northeast before dissipating on August 15 near
Long Island,
New York.
Preparations
On August 10, the
National Hurricane Center (NHC), based in
Miami, Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, issued a
tropical storm watch for the entire island of Jamaica as Tropical Storm Charley intensified over the eastern Caribbean. Later that day, the watch was upgraded to a warning as the storm quickly approached the island. Early on August 11, a hurricane watch was declared for the island as Charley neared hurricane intensity. Late on August 11, all watches and warnings for Jamaica were changed to hurricane warnings as Charley attained
Category 1 status on the
Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. The warning was later discontinued on August 12 as Hurricane Charley tracked towards Cuba, no longer a threat to Jamaica.
![Hurricane Charley 12 aug 2004 1555Z](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Hurricane_Charley_12_aug_2004_1555Z.jpg)
Following the issuance of hurricane watches, Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Transport and Works in Jamaica closed both airports,
Norman Manley International Airport
Norman Manley International Airport , formerly Palisadoes Airport, is an international airport serving Kingston, Jamaica and is located south of the island away from the centre of New Kingston. It is the second busiest airport in the country ...
and
Sangster International Airport
Sangster International Airport is an international airport located east of Montego Bay, Jamaica. The airport is capable of handling nine million passengers per year. It serves as the most popular airport for tourists visiting the north coast ...
, on the island and shut down all ports.
A total of 33 flights were canceled or delayed by the storm.
Roughly 3,000 passengers from the ''
Carnival Conquest'' cruise ship were diverted from their scheduled arrival in
Montego Bay, resulting in millions of dollars in losses. Another cruise ship, ''The Triumph'', carrying 2,700 passengers was also diverted. Most businesses on the island were closed on August 12.
Emergency shelters were set up across the island ahead of the storm; however, press reports indicate that no one sought refuge in shelters. Residents along the coast were urged to evacuate by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management due to the risk of
storm surge and large swells that could inundate low-lying communities.
Up to of rain fell in eastern portions of the island, triggering mudslides.
On August 11, the Jamaica Red Cross opened its Emergency Operations Center in preparation for Hurricane Charley
[ ] and placed the warning level at one, the lowest warning level.
[ ] Residents throughout the country stocked up on emergency supplies and non-perishable food, noted by an increase in sales at shops. In
Saint James Parish, emergency officials activated all necessary agencies by August 11.
[ ] Late on August 11, emergency officials quickly opened 50 shelters in the parish.
In
Saint Elizabeth Parish
Saint Elizabeth, one of Jamaica's largest parishes, is located in the southwest of the island, in the county of Cornwall. Its capital, Black River, is located at the mouth of the Black River, the widest on the island.
History
Saint Elizabe ...
, 100 residents sought refuge in the six shelters opened throughout the parish.
A total of $1.5 million (JMD; US$17,000) was allocated by the Ministry of Local Government for repairs after the storm.
The
Jamaica Red Cross alerted local branches to be prepared as Charley approached.
Impact and aftermath
On August 11, a yacht carrying three people was disabled roughly southeast of the
Morant Cays
The Morant Cays is an offshore island group 51 km SSE off Morant Point, Jamaica. It is one of two offshore island groups belonging to Jamaica, the other one is the Pedro Cays. They are located at and consist of four small islets grouped close ...
. The Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard rescued the crew members the following day and brought them to
Kingston Public Hospital
Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) is a public general hospital in Kingston, Jamaica. It is the oldest public hospital in Jamaica and is the main hospital in south eastern Jamaica. The hospital is operated by the South East Regional Health Authority ...
as they were severely dehydrated and exhausted.
During the preparations, storms ahead of the hurricane knocked out power in isolated areas. After nearly completing restoration of the initial power outage,
lightning
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an avera ...
struck a power line and left more residents without electricity.
The community of Big Woods was significantly affected by flooding, with 30 families being isolated in the area.
The only fatality from the storm also occurred in this community after a man was washed away while trying to rescue a family.
[ ] The severity of damage in Big Woods prompted Jamaica Labour Party Area Council Four chairman to state that it should be declared a disaster area. Torrential rains during a two-hour span overnight triggered most of the flooding in the area, isolating many homes and inundating several.
In
Westmoreland Parish
Westmoreland is the westernmost parish in Jamaica, located on the south side of the island. It is situated south of Hanover, southwest of Saint James, and northwest of Saint Elizabeth, in the county of Cornwall. The chief town and capital is ...
, severe flooding inundated several homes and damaged roadways. One home sustained significant damage after a large tree fell on it.
In
Kingston, high winds damaged power lines and some homes.
Water supply to most regions was cut due to damage to pipelines and high water
turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality.
Fluids ...
. Widespread power outages occurred due to numerous downed trees and power lines.
The banana industry sustained severe losses, with trees downed and fruit damaged and numerous livestock drowned in flood waters.
Initial assessments of agricultural losses from the storm reached $300 million (JMD; US$3.4 million). Residents requested the government for immediate assistance as families were without a source of food and income.
Official assessments in four parishes placed the damage to agriculture and livestock at $88.4 million (JMD; US$1 million), with roughly $73.5 million (JMD; US$835,000) of this accounting for 750 farmers in Saint Elizabeth.
Roads in Saint Elizabeth sustained substantial damage, with 32 separate roads experiencing severe impacts. Throughout the country, a total of $7.6 million (
JMD; US$86,000) was provided to repair the roads, $4.23 million (JMD; US$48,000) of which was used in Saint Elizabeth alone.
Widespread damage to crops also resulted in an increased price in store costs. The loss to farmers was untimely as it followed a three-month drought that was preceded by damaging hailstorms that ruined crops.
Following the storm, search and rescue teams were deployed, mainly in Saint Elizabeth Parish following reports of flooding.
See also
*
Hurricane Charley
*
Effects of Hurricane Ivan in Jamaica
*
2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season was a very deadly, destructive, and extremely active Atlantic hurricane season, with over 3,200 deaths and more than $61 billion (2004 USD, $95.77 billion 2022 USD) in damage. More than half of the 16 ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Effects Of Hurricane Charley In Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
Charley Effects
2004 Atlantic hurricane season
2004 in Jamaica
Charley
Charley Jamaica