On July 2, 2021, Barbados sustained direct impact from a hurricane. This was a first for many on the island, including us, because the last hurricane to directly impact the island was Janet in 1955. That was long before any of us at Nu Visual Media was born.
Though Hurricane Elsa was only upgraded to Category 1 during its passing, the experience was harrowing. Nu Visual Media has been working with a number of Non Governmental Organisations which have been supporting Emergency and disaster management across the region. We have covered both the actions taken to prepare the region for natural disasters and we have also reported the aftermath of these events. However, living through one was a new the experience for our team. We must admit we were very fortunate, as we have see first hand the destruction caused by hurricanes.
The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) commissioned our team to produce a short documentary on the devastation caused by 1961’s Hurricane Hattie in Belize. Ranked as a category 5 hurricane, Hattie was so destructive that the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) retired the name. This documentary formed part of the AOSIS presentation to the UN General Summit, to demonstrate how inaction related to climate change can cost lives and suppress economies.
Working with CDEMA on their Legacy Project documentary we traveled to Dominica and the British Virgin Islands to interview those who lived through the 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria; as well as explored the response and recovery aspects of the disaster management cycle. Through this project CDEMA was providing socio-economic support to vulnerable persons within communities in Antigua & Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica and Turks & Caicos, while also establishing a pathway towards resilience.
More recently, in early 2020 Nu Visual Media completed a video on Multi Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its project partners. This short video focused on the development of the mitigation and preparedness phases of the disaster management process.
The project concentrated on Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Cuba; focusing on strengthening integrated and cohesive preparedness capacity at a regional, national and community level in the Caribbean.
With the Atlantic hurricane season already underway, and the COVID-19 pandemic nearing the 2-year mark, we’re reminded that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Monitor your local forecast and ensure that you take the necessary steps to protect your home and keep your loved ones safe.
Follow the links below to watch some of the videos we have produced:
https://vimeo.com/392056123/40734119a8 – (UNDP MHEWS video)
https://vimeo.com/348074925 – (CDEMA Legacy Project video)
https://vimeo.com/361439850 – (AOSIS Hurricane Hattie video)
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