Hurricanes Gustaf, Hanna, and Ike are three in a row that have severally impacted the Caribbean and the Turks & Caicos!
Many of you have visited the Turks & Caicos for an unforgettable tropical vacation. We even represent several luxury resort projects on these beautiful islands – L’Emeraude being one of them on Grand Turks. The benefit of a hurricane disaster is there is typically time to get your property and yachts ready, or evacuate to “safe ground”, as opposed to an earthquake where there is no warning. The challenge in the Caribbean regarding hurricanes is that the only effective way off the islands is by plane. You can’t drive to “safe ground” in the Caribbean, as you can on the mainland of the U.S. So, most people can’t leave the islands. They have to figure out how to weather the storm. During the past few weeks the three hurricanes have been devastating, with Cuba also being severely impacted.
Here is an update on the impact of Hurricane Ike on the Turks & Caicos. The winds, rain and the sea surge
( one of the most devastating consequence of a hurricane.), has damaged or destroyed at least 90% of the homes on Grand Turk according to local journalist Audley Astwood. He said, “It pretty much looks like an episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’. It’s like the end of the world. This is definitely similar to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, or worse. It’s going to take years to bring this island back to the way it was.” The reports for the Turks & Caicos are that over 40% of the island has been flooded. Many people have decided to sleep in their cars because there homes have no roofs, and there is no electrical 
power.
Just the week before, Tropical Storm Hanna hovered over the Turks & Caicos for four days of torrential rain and winds. So, when Ike hit the devastation was massive. By the time Ike hit the Turks & Caicos it had become a Category 4 storm with winds close to 135mph – an extremely dangerous hurricane! It moved on to devastate Cuba, and then lost some steam. But, now it is moving through the Gulf of Mexico and has picked up momentum, and back to a Category 4 hurricane that seems to be headed to Texas. And, there is another hurricane right behind it!
Please remember that the Caribbean has taken a real beating the past few weeks with the three hurricanes that have already passed over the islands. The United States is not the only victim of Mother Nature. There has been up to 12 inches of rain just in the last few days on the Turks & Caicos, and imagine that the ocean beside your town rises from nine to 12 feet from it’s normal levels – this is called a “storm surge” after a hurricane, and it is one of the most devastating parts of these types of storms. If you have friends and family, or just want to assist with the
devastation that the Caribbean has endured, make donations to the Red Cross and designate it for relief in the Caribbean. It is a tragedy that needs to be addressed NOW. There are other storms coming so it is far from over in 2008.
At a moment such as the Caribbean is facing, real estate issues are minor topics. However, there are many people who have an interest in Caribbean real estate who are moving their focus to the Southern Islands, or to places like Belize and the Cayman Islands. These are areas in the Caribbean that are not generally effected by hurricanes. If you want more information on the spots in the Caribbean that are generally “hurricane proof” let me know I will send you some great choices. Until next time…fair winds!!!
