Tropical Storm Nicole - Planning Institute of Jamaica

V. ENVIRONMENT
A. General
a) Overview
Given the high reliance of Jamaica’s economy on their natural resources, environmental
impacts caused by extreme weather events may have disastrous effects on social and
economic well-being. The impact of these events is often exacerbated by anthropogenic
factors which increase the vulnerability of life and property. Environmental impacts caused
by extreme weather events may include damage to critical coastal ecosystems such as coral
reefs, wetlands (mangroves) and seagrass beds which act as coastal buffers and are habitat,
feeding and nursery areas for fish and other marine organisms. In addition, beaches and
coastal infrastructure are also eroded and damaged due to storm surges and flood waters.
Equally vulnerable to extreme storm events are forests and other terrestrial vegetation.
b) Pre-Existing Environmental Conditions
Pre-existing environmental conditions can influence the potential impact of natural hazards
such as hurricanes on the environment. Such conditions before the passage of Tropical
Storm Nicole included the following:
- Extended period of drought from 2009 to April 2010 which resulted in reduced
vegetation cover and soil instability. The dry conditions led to a number of forest (bush)
fires in mainly parishes such as St. Thomas, Kingston & St. Andrew, St. Catherine,
Clarendon, Manchester and St. Elizabeth.
- The existence of formal and informal settlements in coastal and upland areas which are
highly vulnerable to erosion, flooding and storm surge. This problem is often made
worse by poor housing design in some of these areas;
- Many coastal and inland ecosystems were already being degraded due to marine and
land-based pollution, habitat degradation, over-fishing and the effects of previous storm
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