Governor Richards says first storm of the season in the Pacific a wake-up call for nations in the Caribbean Basin in preparation for a busy 2010 hurricane season
Governor Franklyn Richards, Chairman of the Island’s Disaster Emergency Management Organization, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), says that the first Tropical Storm of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season Agatha, is a wake-up call for island nations in the Caribbean Basin including Sint Maarten in preparing for a busy 2010 hurricane season that starts on Tuesday, June 1.
The U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center, last Thursday forecasted a busier than average hurricane season forecasting 14 to 23 named Tropical Storms of which eight to 14 could develop into a hurricane. Of those, three to seven could become major hurricanes of category three or higher with sustained wind speeds of 111 miles per hour and above.
"Over the weekend the first Tropical Storm of the Eastern Pacific Basin formed off the coast of Guatemala. Agatha left a number of persons dead in Guatemala due to torrential rains causing rock and mudslides. I once again appeal to the Sint Maarten population as the official hurricane season kicks off on Tuesday, June 1, to remember that it only takes one storm to make it a bad hurricane season.
"It is your responsibility to take every necessary precaution to ensure that this hurricane season passes without undue loss of life, human suffering and damage to property. It is our responsibility as members of our communities to prepare. We cannot stop a hurricane, but we can be better prepared for nature’s fury," Governor Richards told the Government Information Service (GIS) on Sunday.
The 2010 Hurricane Season name list is: Alex, Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Igor, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Matthew, Nicole, Otto, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tomas, Virginie and Walter.
The 2010 hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30.