Floods

In more recent times the disharmony between human uses of the environment, especially
landuse, and natural systems has resulted in repeated flooding in Jamaica (1979, 1984, 1985,
1986, 1988), Barbados (1970, 1984, 1986, 1988) and Trinidad (1988). Run off from areas
where natural vegetation has been removed for roadways, farm fields, urban structures, and
other uses, may exceed the capacity of the local drainage pattern to accommodate the
increased water. When that happens, the local vicinity may be flooded, or the water will
rush down slope to flood lower lying areas.

Drought
Drought as evidenced in St. Vincent in the 1970s and Antigua in the 1980s is another natural
hazard that afflicts the islands. The balance between water availability and water use is often
very delicate in an island environment and when it is disturbed by periods when precipitation
is less than normal, the result is drought, affecting both agricultural users and potable water
for human consumption. Such droughts here, as elsewhere, may become an economic as
well as social disaster.
Volcanoes
Earthquakes
Hurricanes
TABLE SHOWING HURRICANES FROM THE 18th- 2Oth CENTURY
TABKE SHOWING CATEGORIES OF SOME OF THE HURRICANES
MENTIONED ABOVE.