Hurricane history: Remembering significant storms in Grenada

The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30.  

Annually, islands in the Caribbean prepare for the possibility of a tropical storm or hurricane that could potentially cause devastating effects to infrastructure and loss of life. 

Grenada is no stranger to experiencing the impact of a storm or hurricane. Here are some significant historical storms which affected Grenada during the hurricane season:  

Hurricane Ivan- 2004  

On September 7, 2004, Grenada was devastated by one of the most powerful storms to affect the Caribbean. Ivan was a Category 3 hurricane when the centre passed about 7 miles south of Grenada, a path that took the northern eyewall of Ivan directly over the island, according to information from the US National Hurricane Center.   

It was recorded that after the storm, 34 souls were lost on September 7, 2004.  Hurricane Ivan damaged more than 80 per cent of all buildings in Grenada, decimated the island’s agriculture sector and left many without access to power, water and telecommunications.  The destruction caused by Hurricane Ivan to Grenada was estimated at US$900 million – twice Grenada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at the time.   

Hurricane Janet- 1955  

On September 22, 1955, mainland Grenada was hit hard by Hurricane Janet which passed between Grenada and Carriacou. 

Grenada experienced heavy winds and rain for nine hours. Following its wake of destruction, Janet, a category 3 storm, left 147 people dead (a CDEMA report listed 120 dead), destroyed numerous homes and dealt a heavy blow to the Island’s agriculture sector with 95 per cent of nutmeg trees and coconut trees uprooted.  

At the time, Hurricane Janet was described as one of the worst hurricanes to hit the island.  

Hurricane Flora- 1963  

On August 30, 1963, Hurricane Flora hit Grenada with winds of 125 miles per hour. According to the National Hurricane Center’s Monthly Review for 1963, the damage to Grenada was minor but six people lost their lives by drowning.  

According to the UK Parliament’s Hansard on Hurricane Damage Relief dated December 20, 1963, 70 per cent of Grenada’s banana crop industry were destroyed at a provisional cost of $255,000.  

Hurricane Emily –2005 

On July 14, 2005, the center of Hurricane Emily passed over Grenada. According to the National Hurricane Center’s Tropical Cyclone Report for Hurricane Emily, the northeastern tip of the island of Grenada and as well as the smaller islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique to the northeast, bore the brunt of the hurricane. 

The report stated the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency reported that in Grenada, damage was concentrated in the northern parishes of St Patrick’s and St Andrew’s, where many homes lost their roofs, and on the outlying islands of Petite Martinique and Carriacou, where a portion of the roof of the island’s only hospital was damaged, forcing the evacuation of patients to another portion of the building.  

One fatality occurred in Grenada associated with a mudslide.  

Tropical Storm- 1975 

An unnamed Tropical Storm on September 30, 1975, resulted in six casualties, according to historical data compiled by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) on disasters which affected Grenada.