The team discovered that many people in their interviews reported contamination of water and resulting waterborne illnesses, such as typhoid, from many storms experienced by the Île à Vache population throughout the years. Another common theme from the interviews was the occurrence of animal deaths, likely due to a lack of safe water source for livestock. In addition to waterborne illness, many people also reported higher incidence of malaria post-storm. Finally, it appears that aquatabs and lemon juice are common methods of decontamination in the past and that these resources are often distributed by NGO’s such as the Red Cross, religious organizations, and the government.

Hurricane Allen 1980

• Many residents became sick from waterborne illness
• No known deaths due to waterborne illness
• There were fatalities during the storm not related to water supplies
• Purification process virtually non-existent
• Post-impact, some animals and livestock died
• There was a malaria and typhoid outbreak
• Winds knocked down some rain cisterns
• Aquatabs and lemon juice used to purify water.

Hurricane Gilbert 1988

• Clorox and aquatabs used to purify water
• Some basic filters and hand pumps were used to strain the water
• Diarrhea and other issues/illnesses were experienced post-impact
• No known deaths due to waterborne disease
• Mosquito population bloomed post-impact
• People collected all salvageable food
• There was a malaria and typhoid outbreak

Hurricane George 1998

• All water was contaminated – no one drank the water from local sources
  • Unclear exactly what the contaminants were.  Possibly salt water.
• No known deaths due to waterborne disease

Tropical Depression Helen 2000

• No memory of waterborne illness
• No known deaths due to waterborne disease
• No memory of purification attempts or water treatment
• Other subjects remembered aquatabs being distributed by government and NGOs
• Some storm fatalities were described (wind and surge)
• There was a malaria and typhoid outbreak

Hurricane Gustav 2008

• All water was contaminated
• Many reported illnesses due to waterborne disease
• No known deaths due to waterborne disease

Tropical Depression Emily 2011

• Clergy cleaned/purified water wells post-storm allowing for consumption.  Methods are unknown.
• No memory of illness due to waterborne disease
• No memory of fatalities due to waterborne disease

Hurricane Sandy 2012

• Many illnesses due to waterborne disease
• Many fatailities due to cholera post-storm
• The Red Cross distributed aquatabs to the public via distribution sites.
• The public water taps functioned post-impact in Mdme. Bernard, but that water made everyone sick

Other Responses

• In all storms, the Red Cross delivers food and water until it runs out.
• The National Schools serve as refuges, and the cisterns are treated with aquatabs.