I think I dodged the worst of hurricane Sandy but it wasn't without a few inconveniences and a few valuable lessons being learned. Kingston was hit pretty hard but it seems that where I live escaped relatively undamaged save for a few downed trees. Other parts of the Island suffered moderate to high winds especially in the exposed areas which wreaked havok with power lines and water supplies.
Not being one to watch or listen to the news or read the local newspapers and having been off work with a back/neck injury for 2 weeks, I only found out about the impending storm the day before it was due to hit from a work colleague.
Even for the 2 weeks prior to this the rainfall has been really heavy but the amount of torrential rain that fell during the storm and in such a short period of time was incredible to say the least.
An estimated 150cm of rainfall in 3 days would challenge even the best of infrastructures but on a self proclaimed third world Carribean island where surface drainage is normally the furthest thing from being a priority it caused chaos and turned major roads into rivers.
Wind speeds were estimated to be around 125MPH which tore down trees and power lines, being without electricity or running water for only 3 days was an experience I wouldn't want again and I was in a position of having cold or dried foods and a stock of bottled drinking water available.
The day prior to the storm I managed to get to the supermarket which I have to say was a very civilised affair with everybody going about their business without the panic and attitude of impending doom that would be seen in most "1st World" countries. I can almost in my minds eye imagine the scene at the local Asda back home should a hurricane warning be issued, doubtless chaos would reign and violence would erupt as the angry mob fought to secure the last tin of baked beans or for some, the last 24 bottle box of Carling on the shelves.
Or it could be that I'm just being cynical.........
Hurricane peparations for me consisted of a little bit of shopping, filling up 10 used and empty 5Ltr drinking water bottles with tap water that I had by virtue of the fact I have an unpredictable water supply at home anyway and making sure i had candles and matches.
In reallity, what i should have been thinking of is a means to cook the food that I already had in the freezer ready made the week previous and the frozen meats from the previous shopping trip. Strange to say that when you think about getting ready for a hurricane then if your like me it doesn't really cross your mind that refrigerators and freezers run on electricity which is likely to go off !!
The freezer actually faired very well as I kept the door opening to a minimum and I had previously made a lot of ice cubes for a rather different reason :-) and what was in there stayed frozen even after 2.5 days although some things I cooked immediately I had electricity.
The much criticised (for service & prices) Jamaican Public Service (JPS) electricity company worked round the clock to restore power and at the point of writing this they have 80% succeeded.
Being as this is a Carribean Island and that it is currently hurricane season, I'm pretty sure that we will be seeing a repeat of this experience although I for sure will be much better prepared and understanding of what to expect.
What surprised me most about my brief and mild experience is the way that the local people have immediately recovered and got on with lifes daily routines but also the way that they came together in as much as that phones were constantly ringing (including mine I'm pleased to say) with peoplei checking up on each other with genuine concern and offering help and assistance where and when it was needed.
I'm sat on the balcony writing this on my phone listening to BBC Radio 1 online in 30 degree sunshine having a coffee and watching the world go by and still being amazed at how fast people recover from things........
Not being one to watch or listen to the news or read the local newspapers and having been off work with a back/neck injury for 2 weeks, I only found out about the impending storm the day before it was due to hit from a work colleague.
Even for the 2 weeks prior to this the rainfall has been really heavy but the amount of torrential rain that fell during the storm and in such a short period of time was incredible to say the least.
An estimated 150cm of rainfall in 3 days would challenge even the best of infrastructures but on a self proclaimed third world Carribean island where surface drainage is normally the furthest thing from being a priority it caused chaos and turned major roads into rivers.
Wind speeds were estimated to be around 125MPH which tore down trees and power lines, being without electricity or running water for only 3 days was an experience I wouldn't want again and I was in a position of having cold or dried foods and a stock of bottled drinking water available.
The day prior to the storm I managed to get to the supermarket which I have to say was a very civilised affair with everybody going about their business without the panic and attitude of impending doom that would be seen in most "1st World" countries. I can almost in my minds eye imagine the scene at the local Asda back home should a hurricane warning be issued, doubtless chaos would reign and violence would erupt as the angry mob fought to secure the last tin of baked beans or for some, the last 24 bottle box of Carling on the shelves.
Or it could be that I'm just being cynical.........
Hurricane peparations for me consisted of a little bit of shopping, filling up 10 used and empty 5Ltr drinking water bottles with tap water that I had by virtue of the fact I have an unpredictable water supply at home anyway and making sure i had candles and matches.
In reallity, what i should have been thinking of is a means to cook the food that I already had in the freezer ready made the week previous and the frozen meats from the previous shopping trip. Strange to say that when you think about getting ready for a hurricane then if your like me it doesn't really cross your mind that refrigerators and freezers run on electricity which is likely to go off !!
The freezer actually faired very well as I kept the door opening to a minimum and I had previously made a lot of ice cubes for a rather different reason :-) and what was in there stayed frozen even after 2.5 days although some things I cooked immediately I had electricity.
The much criticised (for service & prices) Jamaican Public Service (JPS) electricity company worked round the clock to restore power and at the point of writing this they have 80% succeeded.
Being as this is a Carribean Island and that it is currently hurricane season, I'm pretty sure that we will be seeing a repeat of this experience although I for sure will be much better prepared and understanding of what to expect.
What surprised me most about my brief and mild experience is the way that the local people have immediately recovered and got on with lifes daily routines but also the way that they came together in as much as that phones were constantly ringing (including mine I'm pleased to say) with peoplei checking up on each other with genuine concern and offering help and assistance where and when it was needed.
I'm sat on the balcony writing this on my phone listening to BBC Radio 1 online in 30 degree sunshine having a coffee and watching the world go by and still being amazed at how fast people recover from things........
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