Turks and Caicos Islands
From HFA-PEDIA
Contents |
HFA National Reports
Preliminary national HFA progress report 2009-2011 (2010): Turks and Caicos Islands (via HFA Monitor on PreventionWeb)
National HFA Progress Report 2007-2009 (2008): Unreported
National Report 2007: Turks and Caicos 2007
National Report 2006: Unreported
National Report 2005: Unreported
National Report 2004: Unreported
National Platform:
Unreported
HFA National Focal Point:
Department of Disaster Management & Emergencies
Contact person: Mr. Jamell Robinson, Director
Tel: 1(649) 946-2177 / Fax: (649) 946-1230
E-mail: jrrobinson@gov.tc
Alternative contact: Miss Denise Saunders, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Public Safety - E-mail: denisesaunders@gov.tc
National Focal Point 2:
Disaster Management & Prison
Address: Ministry of Social Services, Ponds Street, Grand Turk
Phone:+649-946-2801
Contact person: Terry Smith, Permanent secretary, E-mail: tinsmith@gov.tc
Contacts:
Mr. Terry Smith, Acting Coordinator
Phone: (649) 231-6852, E-mail: tnsmith@gov.tc
CDERA member:
Ms. Mahala Wynns, Director of Disaster Management & Emergencies
Chief Secretary's Office
South BaseGrand Turk Turks & Caicos Islands
Phone: (649) 946-2702 ext. 10313, (649) 2025/6 (during hurricane), fax: (649) 946-1230,
E-mail: hurrican@tciway.tc
Other Contacts:
Mr Terry Smith, Acting Coordinator
Phone: (649) 231-6852, E-mail: tnsmith@gov.tc
Department of Disaster management and Emergencias
South Base, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies
Contact person: Joyce Thomas Peters
Phone: 1649-946-1425, fax: 1649-946-1230, E-mail: jpeters@gov.tc
Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross
Osprey Beach Hotel Courtyard, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies
Phone: (649) 946-2389/1077, Fax: (649) 946-2500
Country profile
Name: Turks and Caicos Islands
Capital: Grand Turk
Independence Day: overseas territory of the UK
Population: 22,942 (July 2009 est.)
Area: 948 sq km
Coastline: 389 km
Population Density: 48 inhab/ sq Km
Religions: Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14%
Language: English (official)
Ethnics Group: black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%
Government: overseas territory of the UK
Currency: US dollar.
Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of two groups of sub-tropical islands in the West Indies, the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are made up of two island groups separated by the 22-mile wide Columbus passage. To the west are the Caicos Islands: West Caicos, Providenciales, North Caicos, Middle Caicos, East Caicos and South Caicos. East Caicos is uninhabited. To the east are the Turks Islands: Grand Turk and Salt Cay. The Turks and Caicos total 166 square miles of land area on eight islands and 40 small Cays three of which are inhabited, 8 of which are inhabited. As they are relatively low lying, with its highest point Blue Hills Providenciales at only 47.555m, they are very vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding.
The most damaging hurricane of the last century occurred in 1908 and killed around 19 people. More recently, hurricane Donna in 1960, Kate in 1985 and tropical storm Erin in 1995 caused wind damage and flooding. In 2004, hurricane Frances 2005 caused resulted in minimal damage from flooding with hundreds of islanders evacuating to shelters. This recent hurricane, however, clearly showed the need for greater public awareness on risk reduction and personal safety. The authorities and police had great difficulty convincing residents to move to shelters.
The local authority responsible for disaster reduction is the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies. The department is responsible for education and training through simulation exercises, public awareness, procurement of equipment and supplies and data collection and needs assessment. Hazard mapping is yet to be undertaken on a larger scale but a flood-mapping project will start shortly.
As the Turks and Caicos Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, the local authority responsible for disaster reduction is a part of the Network of Emergency Managers in the Overseas Territories (NEMOT), which was established in 2000, and of the Whitehall Disaster Coordination Group for the Overseas Territories.
Turks and Caicos are adopting the Disaster Management Act that will give authority to the Department of Disaster management and Emergency to carry out its functions. The Act will also make preparation of hazards maps, vulnerability assessments and identification of vulnerable areas a requirement. The final draft has been completed and ready for submission.
Urban indicators
| Indicator | 2030 |
| Total population (thousands) | 30.8 |
| Population in urban (thousands) | 30 |
| Population in slums (thousands) | N/A |
| Population in urban areas (% of total population) | 97.4 |
| Population in slums (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Annual urban population growth rate (%) | N/A |
| Annual slum population growth rate (%) | N/A |
| Population with access to improved sanitation (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with access to improved water (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with sufficient living area (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with durable structures (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population in rural (thousands) | .8 |
- Source: UN-Habitat - The data presented here is extracted from UN-HABITAT's Global Urban Indicators database.
- The data is drawn from different sources and based on 2030 estimates.
Progress:
2007. (Source: Matrix Final - based on national progress report for the Global Platform)
HFA P1 - Institutional and legal framework:
Adoption of the disaster management act: a) the legislation will give authority to the department of emergencies and disaster management to carry out its function b) it will also make preparation of hazard maps, vulnerability assessments and identification of vulnerable areas a requirement c) the regional model disaster management act was adopted for the islands. The process involved discussions at different levels of government, as well as circulation of the draft for comment d) a final draft has been completed and is prepared for submission to the Office of Attorney General
HFA P2 - Risk identification and EWS:
Early warning for tsunami
Storm surge modeling project: it involves the use of the TAOS computerized system
Community mapping: it includes establishment of the community boundaries, preparation of digitized maps, collection of data, identification of areas vulnerable to flooding
Adoption of comprehensive disaster disaster management approach. This main activity is part of a regional project, which was started in 2001 aimed at mainstreaming DRR in the development planning process. The main activities for Turks and Caicos will be development of policy, strategy and framework for comprehensive disaster management and to build support at the national and community level
HFA P3 - Knowledge and education:
Website development. To make information on disaster management in Turks and Caicos accessible to all sectors
Hurricane presentations for school, community groups and on television
Training of community groups
HFA P4 - Risk applications:
They will begin to address this section as part of the comprehensive disaster management activities
HFA P5 - Preparedness and response:
Community disaster planning - a pilot project in two communities to establishment community disaster groups: Identify community leaders, select pilot communities, define group composition
Other Areas:
Other Documents:
Priority 2:
OAS/USAID Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project, Seismic Hazard Maps 2001 - http://www.oas.org/CDMP/document/seismap/bah_tci.htm
Hurricane Guide 2005 - http://www.tcimall.tc/Hurricane/guide/index.htm
Web Links:
Turks and Caicos Islands Hurricane Updates [1]
