Type of disaster: Hurricane (Elsa)
Location: Caribbean Sea
Beginning/end dates: June 30, 2021 – July 9, 2021
General causes of this hazard: Hurricanes commonly form over the tropics and warm ocean water. It will rise as soon as cooler air replaces its warm, moist counterpart. With a decent amount of warm water, the cycle will continue and cause the hurricane to form due to the generation of speedy winds and storm clouds.
Characteristics/causes of the disaster: Hurricane Elsa was preceded by 74 mph winds recorded near Barbados. The wind damaged the southern parts of the island, leaving floods and power outages (Hurricane Central). Therefore, Hurricane Elsa became a textbook example of a hurricane, being destructive and unpredictable as well.
Economic loss and damages: Numerous tornadoes caused by Hurricane Elsa caused great damage to the southeastern part of the United States. Many property damages became irreversible due to the destruction of numerous buildings. According to Sill Public Adjusters, the overall property damage estimations reach almost $300 million.
Human casualties: Four total fatalities and nine missing individuals are the outcomes of Hurricane Elsa in terms of human casualties. The southern coasts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti suffered the most damage, with three people killed. In an article by Orlando Sentinel, it was noted that walls collapsed on a 75-year-old and a 15-year-old boy, and one person deceased in St. Lucia.
Mitigation: The local authorities proposed a thorough schedule of activities, with resource allocation being the primary objective. Updated measures of providing food to shelters and disposing of garbage were introduced to limit the amount of money required to mediate the effects of Hurricane Elsa (Insurance Journal). The cost of mitigation procedures increased after the end of the calamity when all the damages were identified and recorded.
Sources of information
Hurricane Central. “Hurricane Elsa Recap.” weather.com, 2021.
Insurance Journal. “Hurricane Elsa Insured Loss Estimated to Be $290 Million.” insurancejournal.com, 2021.
Orlando Sentinel. “Pictures: Damage from Tropical Storm Elsa.” orlandosentinel.com, 2021.
Sill Public Adjusters. “Hurricane Elsa Caused $290 Million in Damage.” sill.com, 2021.