Abstract:
The punch from hurricane-strength winds is quick. In the Caribbean, the storms whip across the
islands tearing out trees and shattering buildings. Monitoring hurricanes is a centuries-long
tradition. But with all hurricanes, and even with less formidable rain storms, comes the threat of
landslides and flooding to the hills and valleys on the islands' mountainous terrain.
To help emergency personnel evacuate regions at high risk to these secondary rain-induced
hazards, a consolidation of technology is needed, says Randall Updike of the U.S. Geological
Survey in Denver. He is working with colleagues at the USGS, along with scientists from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and NASA, to establish a united front on
forecasting landfall disasters from hurricanes in the Caribbean. UNESCO (United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and The World Meteorological Organization also
support the proposed idea, Updike added. Currently these organizations operate independently of
each other. Updike presented his proposal of bringing the groups together at the annual meeting of
the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Denver on Feb. 15.