Effects of Hurricane Ivan in the Greater Antilles facts for kids
| Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Satellite image of Hurricane Ivan passing south of Jamaica, its clouds covering the Greater Antilles
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| Winds | 1-minute sustained: 165 mph (270 km/h) |
|---|---|
| Pressure | 910 mbar (hPa); 26.87 inHg |
| Fatalities | 24 direct |
| Damage | $4.42 billion (2004 USD) |
| Areas affected | Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba |
| Part of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season | |
From September 8 to 14, 2004, Hurricane Ivan moved through the Caribbean Sea. It affected many islands, especially the Greater Antilles. Ivan was a very strong storm. It reached Category 5 strength three times. This is the strongest possible hurricane category.
Ivan first hit the southern coasts of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. It brought huge waves. Five people died in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. In Haiti, two more people drowned because of floods. The storm caused a lot of damage in Jamaica. It was one of the worst storms in the island's history. About 18,000 people lost their homes. Around 17 people in Jamaica died because of Ivan.
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Getting Ready for Hurricane Ivan
On September 8, Hurricane Ivan moved into the eastern Caribbean Sea. It became very strong, reaching winds of 165 mph (270 km/h). This is a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
That day, warnings were sent out. A tropical storm watch was issued for the southern Dominican Republic. A hurricane watch was also issued for southern Haiti and Jamaica. On September 9, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands got a hurricane warning. Western Haiti got a tropical storm warning. Ivan passed just south of Jamaica on September 11. It then passed south of the Cayman Islands the next day. By September 11, all of western Cuba was under a hurricane warning. Ivan passed southwest of western Cuba on September 14.
Help for Haiti
The World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization sent help to southern Haiti. They sent four emergency kits. Each kit could help 10,000 people. One flight from Port-au-Prince to Miami was canceled. Shelters were opened in Nippes. About 4,000 people stayed there.
Jamaica Prepares
About 500,000 people in Jamaica were told to leave coastal areas. Jamaica's Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson, said the country had to "prepare for the worst." Schools and churches became shelters. The national blood bank asked people to donate blood. This was in case many people got hurt. By September 10, over 1,000 shelters were ready.
The Jamaican Government asked off-duty corrections officers to come to work. Air Jamaica canceled all flights. Airplanes were moved to the United States until the storm passed. Businesses in Kingston closed. Fishermen tied their boats to trees. Workers boarded up windows. Grocery stores stayed open longer for people to buy supplies.
Cayman Islands and Cuba Get Ready
Officials in the Cayman Islands shared information about Ivan. They worked with the media and weather services. People either left the islands or went to shelters.
Cuban TV showed weather updates from their national weather center. President Fidel Castro even appeared on TV to talk about the storm. Across Cuba, over 2.2 million people left their homes. About 60% of them stayed with relatives. These many preparations helped save lives. No one died in Cuba because of Hurricane Ivan.
Impact on Puerto Rico and Hispaniola
On September 8, Hurricane Ivan passed about 300 miles (485 km) south of Puerto Rico. It caused big waves that brought rocks and debris onto the southern coast. Part of Puerto Rico Highway 109 was closed for 12 hours.
Along the southern coast of the Dominican Republic, high waves killed four people. Strong waves also hit southern Haiti. They damaged the port and destroyed three houses in Jacmel. One person died from the waves. Two people drowned in floodwaters after they did not leave their house. Heavy rain, up to 72 mm (2.8 in), fell in Les Cayes. This flooded farm channels along the Artibonite River in Haiti. In Haiti, Ivan damaged or destroyed homes for 2,500 people. Most of these were on the Tiburon Peninsula.
Impact on Jamaica
On September 11 and 12, the center of Ivan passed just 23 miles (37 km) south of Portland Point in Jamaica. The storm's strongest winds stayed offshore. On Pedro Bank, southwest of Jamaica, winds reached 133 mph (215 km/h). Doppler weather radar showed winds of 112 mph (179 km/h) in Jamaica's mountains.
Ivan brought very heavy rain to the island. The highest amount was 28.37 inches (72 cm) in Ritchies. This is in northwestern Clarendon Parish.
Hurricane Ivan killed 17 people in Jamaica. It caused $575 million in damage. Strong winds hit the whole island. Heavy rain caused mudslides and floods. The storm destroyed 5,600 houses and damaged 41,400 more. Most of the island's power and water systems were also damaged.
The storm was one of the strongest in Jamaica's history. In Kingston, winds knocked down trees and poles. They also caused flooding. In Montego Bay, the Barnett River overflowed. Businesses were flooded with up to 4 feet (1.2 m) of water. Roads were flooded. Part of the A1 Road, a main highway, was washed away. Waves up to 23 feet (7 m) were reported along the coast. Tiles were blown off the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. Waves flooded a causeway to an airport near Kingston, which was closed.
Kingston was saved from the worst damage because the storm shifted. But flooding in the city was still a "major catastrophe." Many roads were blocked by fallen trees and poles. Most tourist areas had only minor damage. Overall, Ivan left 18,000 people homeless due to floods and strong winds.
Impact on the Cayman Islands
On September 12, Ivan passed just 25 miles (41 km) southwest of George Town, the capital of the Cayman Islands. It was a Category 5 hurricane. Winds reached 150 mph (241 km/h), with gusts up to 171 mph (276 km/h).
A storm surge of 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 m) hit the islands. Waves were 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 m) high. This flooded almost all of Grand Cayman. Owen Roberts International Airport and many homes were underwater. Grand Cayman also got 12.14 inches (30.8 cm) of rain. On Cayman Brac, winds reached 67 mph (107 km/h) and it rained 4.92 inches (12.5 cm).
During the storm, weather experts from Jamaica helped issue warnings for the Cayman Islands. This was because the islands were so badly damaged. The good preparations helped keep the death toll low, with only two people dying. Damage in the Cayman Islands was about $3.5 billion. Even with strong building codes, 95% of buildings were damaged or destroyed.
Impact on Cuba
Hurricane Ivan passed through the Yucatán Channel as a Category 5 storm. Its center came within 17 miles (28 km) of Cape San Antonio, the westernmost point of Cuba. This area felt the edge of the storm's eye. A weather station there recorded winds of 110 mph (178 km/h). Gusts reached 119 mph (192 km/h) before the equipment stopped working. The strongest gusts were estimated at 168 mph (270 km/h).
Very strong winds, over 115 mph (185 km/h), hit about 10 miles (16 km) from western Cuba. This is where most of the damage happened. Hurricane-force winds spread 56 miles (90 km) east of Cape San Antonio. They affected the towns of Sandino and Mantua. Tropical storm-force winds reached 140 miles (225 km) from Cape San Antonio. They lasted 47 hours on Isla de la Juventud.
A storm surge of 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.7 m) flooded the southern coast. This caused flooding in low-lying areas. The surge first hit Granma and Santiago de Cuba provinces. This happened while Ivan was south of Jamaica. The island of Cayo Largo del Sur saw 5 meters (16 feet) of flooding. During Ivan, rainfall reached 13.33 inches (338.6 mm) in Isabel Rubio. Several other areas got over 4 inches (100 mm) of rain.
Hurricane Ivan caused $1.223 billion in damage across Cuba. But no one died. The storm badly damaged crops, power systems, and homes. In Santiago de Cuba, heavy rain caused landslides. In western Pinar del Río Province, Ivan's strong winds ripped off roofs. The heavy rain flooded houses and farms. It also caused mudslides that cut off two houses.
