In The Caribbean, Colonialism And Inequality Mean Hurricanes Hit Harder

The Caribbean has seen more storms than average this hurricane season, and the season's not over yet. Hurricane Maria is only the latest major hurricane to batter the area in the last several months, and the devastation is immense. Many islands like Dominica and Puerto Rico are without power and could remain without power for months. Many of these areas are often hit with various disasters, which are difficult to recover from. But: "These are not isolated instances of random bad luck. As University of the West Indies geographers who study risk perception and political ecology, we recognize the deep, human-induced roots of climate change, inequality and the underdevelopment of former colonies — all of which increase the Caribbean’s vulnerability to disaster."

Disaster risk is often measured by vulnerability and exposure. "Across most Caribbean islands, hazard exposure is about the same, but research shows that poverty and social inequality drastically magnify the severity of disasters." Inequality and poverty in these areas are often a direct result of imperialism by Western powers. This leaves places like Haiti in poor shape to deal with hurricanes and their aftermath. The article provides many examples of effects of day-to-day struggles of gender, environmental injustice, and health issues in the Caribbean, which are exacerbated by hurricanes and other disasters from Martinique to Tobago. 

Natural disasters may be uncontrollable, but our preparedness is not. The effects of disasters like hurricanes are particularly bad for island nations that have suffered from imperialism and colonialism. And beyond disaster relief, we need to be looking at the root causes of inequality and examining ways to deal with larger systemic problems.