Before And After: Satellite Images Show Irma's Caribbean Destruction

I have no words :(

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/12/550424499/before-and-after-satellite-images-show-irmas-caribbean-destruction

Very sad.

Keith

From what I have gathered PR which is the lifeline for the islands affected by Irma, at this time is thought to be in line to receive a direct hit by a category 3 hurricane. Some of the relief efforts have even haulted because of Maria as PR prepares for it.

Here is more as to what is hitting these scenic islands and an important info item on another CC thread. Very sad and challenging situation with above details from another CC Board thread. We will all hope for the best, but "two-in-a-row" are too, too many dire happenings.

From the London/UK Daily Mail today, they have this headline: “Category 3 Maria takes aim at the Caribbean islands leveled by Irma” with these story highlights: “The National Hurricane Center in Miami says that Hurricane Maria has strengthened to a Category 3 storm and was 'rapidly' intensifying into a major hurricane. The eye is expected to move through the Leeward Islands later Monday. The storm's center was about 60 miles east of Martinique, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. The storm is on a path that would take it near many of the islands wrecked by Hurricane Irma and on toward Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Hurricane warnings were posted for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Martinique. A tropical storm warning was issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Lucia.”

Below are a couple of their graphics to better show where this storm is headed, etc.

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4895266/Hurricane-Jose-pound-East-Coast-week.html

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 187,278 views for this posting.

From the Daily Mail, here are the graphics/charts showing the Hurricane Maria path and direction.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger!)

Such a shame, Antigua is one of our favourite islands. I hope everybody stays safe during these difficult times.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Such a shame, Antigua is one of our favourite islands. I hope everybody stays safe during these difficult times.

Agree strongly with above. Unfortunately in 2015 when we visited ten Caribbean island, we did not get a change to visit. Antigua. Now? Who knows when? We are now learning much more as to how sad and tragic have been the conditions and impacts for this entire area. There is a challenging question as to whether to cancel an upcoming cruise for these areas . . . VERSUS. . . not scrubbing as a way to help their local economies. SE Asia is our next major destination in early 2018. So, we do not have any travels to these scenic eastern Caribbean areas planned for the next year or two.

From the New York Times this morning, they have this headline: “Storms Moved On. Caribbean Islands Fear Tourists Might, Too” with these highlights: “Two ferocious hurricanes in less than two weeks caused widespread devastation, leaving dozens dead, millions without power or drinking water and countless homes destroyed. The storms also ripped through the tourism industry in a region unusually dependent on well-heeled visitors. In the wake, cruise ports and airports throughout the Caribbean are closed, beachside bars are flooded and, on many islands, tourists are absent. And the risk of a far longer term ripple effect looms, threatening the region’s ability to rebuild: Without a steady influx of cash from tourists, businesses suffer, employers cut back and local residents lose jobs; workers on especially hurricane-stricken islands could move elsewhere for opportunity, denting the local economy further.”

Their chart/graphic, shown below, gives background on the paths from these two hurricanes, plus the important shares of the local economies affected by these storm. There are many aspects from these impacts that we do not always consider. This includes: "In the Caribbean region, travel and tourism account for a higher share of the gross domestic product than they do in any other region of the world, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, and officials say it is far too soon to know when the industry will fully recover. At stake are some of the more than 2.3 million travel and tourism-related jobs in the region." This is a fairly comprehensive look at these impacts, who is hurt most and which locations can recover more quickly. As shown below, Dominica depends on tourism for 35% of their total GDP, while that economic number for these island, it was much higher at 60%. This includes 19,500 jobs! That's going to be a major loss here.

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/23/us/tourism-hurricane-economy-caribbean-islands.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.):

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 53,403 views for these postings.

Here are the NY Times charts on the hurricane impacts in these key Caribbean areas.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger!)

Such a shame, Antigua is one of our favourite islands. I hope everybody stays safe during these difficult times.

It didn't hit Antigua.

Agree strongly with above. Unfortunately in 2015 when we visited ten Caribbean island, we did not get a change to visit. Antigua. Now? Who knows when?

 

Antigua's open. Go. Visit. Spend money. They are trying to support Dominica and Barbuda and they need tourists to help.

Check out Adventure Antigua's FB account. They are open for business.

I would go tomorrow if it weren't for my son's schedule.

It didn't hit Antigua. Antigua's open. Go. Visit. Spend money. They are trying to support Dominica and Barbuda and they need tourists to help. I would go tomorrow if it weren't for my son's schedule.

Appreciate your excellent update and this added info/background. There is clearly some confusion as these two islands are close, but different.

From the New York Times print version today, they have this headline: “After Maria and Irma: Caribbean Tourism, Island by Island” with these specific highlights: “Antigua and Barbuda: This two-island nation, which has been struggling since 2009 amid the recession, depends heavily on tourism. Antigua was spared the worst of Irma. Its V.C. Bird International Airport has been open and most hotels (including Carlisle Bay, Cocos Hotel and Keyonna Beach Resort), restaurants and businesses were largely unscathed. Tour operators, bars and restaurants — including popular beach spots such as BeachLimerz, Coconut Grove, Sheer Rocks and Turners Beach — are welcoming visitors. Barbuda, Antigua’s little sister 28 miles to the north, on the other hand, is in ruins. Gaston Browne, the prime minister, has said that 90 percent of the island’s properties were damaged or destroyed. Barbuda’s hotels were also damaged, but because there were fewer than 100 rooms on the island, the overall effect on tourism is minimal, the Caribbean Tourism Organization said. Barbuda’s population is much smaller than Antigua’s, though its unspoiled land made it an attractive getaway.”

Will be on the look-out for more details during the coming weeks affecting all of these different areas of the eastern Caribbean. We are all hoping for the best for these challenged areas and peoples.

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/travel/maria-irma-caribbean-tourism-island-by-island.html?_r=0

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Just finished June 2017 sailing from Portugal to France along the scenic Atlantic Coast, plus great pre- and post-cruise experiences. Many interesting pictures and details on history, food, culture, etc., from my live/blog at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358