In this part of the Caribbean there is certainly something unusual going on meteorologically. Very stormy weather, gusts that likely exceed 50mph off and on for the past 48 hours, accompanied by periodic rain. Right now very overcast, with sun peeking through now and then. Whatever this system is, there should be some more definitive, public characterization, and I am hardly an authority (although my observation of professional meteorologists in the US is one of overpaid entertainers).

As with Hurricane Matthew, the local/regional population here have no more than a grassroots understanding and ability to determine what may be coming from the sky. And, unquestionably, these individuals need a break from such problems. The current conditions are causing widespread, albeit relatively minor, damage to a perpetually fragile infrastructure and once again unsettling people and preventing further recovery efforts from Matthew. Unfortunately, in addition to this, the inappropriate action on the part of the US to arrest the newly elected senator from this region of Haiti has further complicated much needed public health and community re-building activities that were in progress up until late last week. This incident caused widespread panic among the non-Haitian, US aid workers prompting a mass exodus of individuals here only for relief and recovery efforts. Now the Americans are gone and much needed work (distribution of medicine, food, building materials, healthcare, etc.) has ground to a halt.

On another note, one position I would like to throw out there is the idea that those in the weather forecasting community, on a global level, consider whether or not there is a moral/ethical responsibility to inform isolated, economically marginalized populations such as here in the Grand Anse region of Haiti, as to major weather threats coming their way. Relative to the dissemination of information and/or warnings to the local population, it is unlikely that the experience with Matthew will provoke any internal changes. And, of course, as the global environmental conditions become increasingly destabilized, we should anticipate more frequent and severe meteorological events. Furthermore, as those with the least resources will suffer the most, disasters such as we witnessed (first-hand) from Matthew will occur again – maybe within the next 12 months. In the US, silly and inaccurate weather forecasts rarely result in loss of life or significant material damage – yet the ability to forecast weather events, track storms and predict severity is a potentially vital type of knowledge that could (somehow) be shared with populations both vulnerable and without access to such knowledge. Thousands of people died and many more lost everything from Hurricane Matthew – some of this could have been prevented.

Just some thoughts.

Jeremie, Haiti

Cover of clouds and intermittent rain continues here in the Southwestern end of the country. While all are hoping for a break from this weather pattern – which has largely prevailed since Hurricane Matthew – most in the population have never had any reliable forecasts or information by which they might prepare. And, for the minority who do have access to computer-based opinions, there seems to have been nothing accurate generated to date for this region. Whether this is a matter of satellites available, mountainous terrain or lack of personnel, all are quite cut-off in this part of the world. At present, people are awaiting the presidential elections scheduled for tomorrow, with continued bleak weather increasing the likelihood of poor voter turnout. Nonetheless, little has been done by the government to insure that all who wish to vote be able to do so – damage due to Hurricane Matthew will prevent thousands from access to voting locations and there appears to be no significant effort to remedy this situation. As in the past, political dysfunction will persist and a large segment of the population will remain disenfranchised, weather being one factor in the historical array of elements serving to maintain Haiti where we find it today.

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Jeremie, Haiti

Approximately 6 weeks ago, Hurricane Matthew struck Jeremie and the entire Southwestern region of Haiti. In addition to torrential rains, we experienced wind gusts reported to be as high as 170 mph during the nearly 12 hours of hurricane activity. The majority of structures in Jeremie and the surrounding region were damaged by the storm and thousands of buildings and homes were completely destroyed. My wife and I live in Jeremie at the main clinic of the Haitian Health Foundation (HHF) and we were here before, during and after the hurricane. Briefly, HHF is a healthcare and community development organization with its sole location being in the Jeremie area, having been here for more than 30 years. Up until and subsequent to the hurricane, HHF has been the only consistent provider of primary health care and other medical services, serving nearly 250,000 people, in this region.

In the past, much of this area in the Grand Anse district was among few in Haiti without the immediate visible signs of deforestation and other phenomena of environmental degradation. As a result of Hurricane Matthew, there is now widespread environmental damage. It has been estimated that 75% or more of the fruit bearing trees and other above-ground food-producing vegetation was lost to Matthew, with significant damage to already severely eroded rivers and hillsides along with mud-covered flat areas. Livestock, including cows, sheep, goats, pigs, mules and chickens were killed by the thousands as rivers swept them away and hurricane force winds blew for hours on end. In addition, there are still unknown numbers of people who died as a result of the storm. There have yet to be official records of these deaths, but it is certainly in the thousands. And, while the acute effects of the storm’s damage are now past, and those injured during the storm have been treated, many in the population continue to suffer from extreme hunger and storm-related diseases, such as a resurgence of cholera and mosquito-borne illness like malaria, dengue, zika and chikungunya. Furthermore, thousands remain living out in the open as their homes were wiped away in the hurricane and the need is simply beyond the ability of any effort to quickly remedy. HHF has built thousands of homes and provided healthcare to many thousands of people, but the recovery will simply take a long time. We have been working steadily with all the major international organizations, but most have now moved away or diminished their efforts, as is expected in such disaster scenarios.

At this time, the rains continue and there appears to be an uncertain weather outlook for the next week. Today, there was intermittent heavy rain, with periodic 10-15mph gusts of wind. All here are quite nervous at the prospect of another storm of any magnitude, and, quite frankly, cannot imagine how things could get much worse for the thousands of people cut off in the mountains and living without shelter throughout the region. Hurricane Matthew is likely the worst such natural disaster ever experienced by Jeremie and this entire peninsula of Haiti.

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