9pm EST, January 12, 2010 - A large earthquake struck close to Port-au-Prince, Haiti late this afternoon. The current United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimate is that the quake was a Magnitude 7.0 event at 10km depth just 15km southwest of Port-au-Prince. We have not yet been able to make contact with anyone in Haiti, but initial news wire reports suggest major if not catastrophic damage in the capital, and particularly in the areas of Pétion-Ville and Carrefour on the southern side of the city.
October 30, 2009 – The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility announces the publication of the first issue of CCRIF News, a quarterly newsletter that provides recent news about CCRIF and its partners. This issue discusses the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between CCRIF and the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA); presents CCRIF’s Strategic Plan to 2012; provides an update on the excess rainfall product being developed by CCRIF and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) and Kinetic Analysis Corporation (Kinanco
September 23, 2009 – Students studying risk management and natural hazards-related subjects will soon benefit from scholarships to be offered by the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF). This was recently announced by CCRIF’s Chairman Milo Pearson following the latest CCRIF Board Meeting in Jamaica. Pearson said that it was a move to give more help to member states to build their capacity to better deal with the physical and socio-economic impacts of natural catastrophes, particularly in the face of growing risks due to climate change.
September 14, 2009 – An important new publication, Climate Sense, was launched at the World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3) on August 31. At the launch, Mr Hong Yan, Deputy Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation, noted that, through its sharing of best practices across a variety of disciplines and sectors, Climate Sense is a significant resource to support the Global Framework for Climate Services coming out of WCC-3. Climate Sense is a user-friendly information tool what will help countries to plan ahead in the face of changing climate conditions.
August 19, 2009 - The small island developing states that constitute the Caribbean region are prone to the two main global catastrophe hazards, earthquakes and hurricanes. These hazards which often lead to natural disasters in this region have had dire consequences for economic activities, infrastructure, human welfare and natural resource management.
July 30, 2009 - The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) is assisting the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) climate change negotiating team in finalising the AOSIS position leading up to the Copenhagen United Nations Climate Change Conference in December.
