Hurricane Tips



General Hurricane Information

Saffir-Simpson Scale

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale rates a hurricane's intensity using wind speed and storm surge, which is the abnormal rise in sea level accompanying a hurricane or other intense storm. The scale also estimates the potential damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall.

Category One
Wind Speed: 74-95 mph (119-153 km/h)
Storm Surge: 4-5 feet above normal
Damage: Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees along with some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage

Category Two
Wind Speed: 96-110 mph (154-177 km/h)
Storm Surge: 6-8 feet above normal
Damage: Roofing, door and window damage to buildings; Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees, mobile homes, poorly constructed signs, and piers

Category Three
Wind Speed: 111-130 mph (178-209 km/h)
Storm Surge: 9-12 feet above normal
Damage: Structural damage to small residences and utility buildings; foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down; mobile homes destroyed

Category Four
Wind Speed: 131-155 mph (210-249 km/h)
Storm Surge: 13-18 feet above normal
Damage: Extensive damage to doors, windows and lower floors of shoreline houses; total roof failures on small residences; shrubs, trees, and all signs blown down; mobile homes completely destroyed

Category Five
Wind Speed: Greater than 155 mph (249 km/h)
Storm Surge: generally greater than 18 feet above normal
Damage: Complete roof failure on many buildings and some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away; severe and extensive window and door damage; mobile homes completely destroyed


Hurricane Communication Tips

  • Ensure that your mobile phone has sufficient credit
  • Always make sure that your mobile phone is fully charged
  • Have a carphone charger on hand




What To Do...

Before a Hurricane Approaches

  • Familiarize yourself with Hurricane terminology:
    • Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions are possible in the specified area of the watch, usually within 36 hours.
    • Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions are expected in the specified area of the warning, usually within 24 hours.
  • Closely monitor your local radio or TV stations news for weather-related information.
  • Identify ahead of time official hurricane shelters.
  • Keep a family emergency kit stocked and handy. Include items like flashlights and batteries, battery-operated radio, first aid supplies, essential medications, canned food and a can opener.
  • Stock up on drinking water – at least 3 gallons of water per person.
  • Install hurricane shutters or purchase precut outdoor plywood boards for each window of your home.
  • Install anchors for the plywood and pre-drill holes in the plywood so that you can put it up quickly.
  • Make trees more wind resistant by removing diseased and damaged limbs and remove branches.
  • Review your insurance policy and be sure you have sufficient coverage.


When a Hurricane WATCH is Issued

  • Closely monitor your local radio and TV stations for up-to-date storm information.
  • Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants and anything else that can be picked up by the wind. container.
  • Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use plywood.
  • Fill your vehicle with gas and park on high ground and disconnect battery.


When a Hurricane WARNING is Issued

  • Listen to advice of local officials, and leave if they tell you to do so.
  • Complete preparation activities
  • If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows.


During a Hurricane

  • Listen constantly to your radio or television for official instructions and updates
  • Follow instructions issued by local officials
  • If power is lost, turn of major appliances to reduce power ‘surge’ when electricity is restored
  • In the event of strong winds take refuge in small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest floor. Stay away from windows and doors
  • If you happen to be outside take shelter in the nearest substantial structure or a sturdy tree and hold yourself to it.
  • Be aware that the calm “eye” is deceptive; the storm is not over. The worst part of the storm will happen once the eye passes over and the winds blow from an opposite direction.
  • If the water rises move to a higher floor or hold on to something that floats such as wooden furniture or a plastic container


After the Hurricane

  • Keep listening to local news for instructions and for the all clear to be announced
  • Wait until an area is declared safe before entering
  • Drive only if absolutely necessary
  • Check gas, water and electrical lines and appliances for damage
  • Do not drink or prepare food with tap water until you are certain it is not contaminated.


St. Lucia Hurricane Shelters

Anse La Raye Village Patience Baptiste Church – Pettie Bough
  Anse La Raye Infant School
  Anse La Raye Combined School
  Anse La Raye Community Centre
  Anse La Raye Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Anse La Raye Roman Catholic Parish Hall
Jacmel Jacmel Roman Catholic Church
  Jacmel Combined School
  Jacmel Pentecostal Faith Church
  Jacmel Baptist Church
Millet Millet Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Millet Pentecostal Church (New)
  Millet Infant School
  Millet Community Centre
  Venus Combined School - Primary
Tete Chemin Tet Chemin Agricultural House
  Tet Chimen Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Vanard Vanard Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Back To Top
Canaries Canaries Community Centre
  Canaries Parish Centre
  Press On Disco
  Inner Circle Disco
  Canaries Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Canaries Roman Catholic Primary School
  Canaries Roman Catholic Infant School
  Canaries Roman Catholic Church
Back To Top
Castries East Bocage Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Bocage Secondary School
  Bocage Combined School
  Full Gospel Tabernacle-Bocage
Central Castries St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Boys’ Infant School
  St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Boys’ Primary School
  Ave Maria Girls’ Infant School
  Ave Maria Girls’ Primary School
  Cannon Laurie Anglican Infant School
  Carmen Renee Memorial School
  School for the Blind
  Cannon Laurie Anglican Primary School
  Seventh-Day Primary School
  Bethel Tabernacle Church
  Girls Vocational School
  Castries Methodist Church
  Cannon Laurie Anglican Church
  Castries City Hall
  Castries Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Methodist Infant School
  Camille Henry Combined School
  Methodist Primary School
Back To Top
La Clery La Clery Roman Catholic Church
  VBCC Club house
  Maranatha Seventh-Day Adventist Church
La Pansee Dunnottor School
Morne Dudon Morne Dudon Combined School
Vide Boutielle Vide Boutielle Secondary School
  Castries Comprehensive Secondary School
  Vide Boutielle Combined School
  Seventh-Day Adventist Academy
  Sir Ira Simmons Secondary School
Virgie St. Mary’s College
Back To Top
Ciceron School for the deaf
  Ciceron Methodist Church
  Ciceron Secondary School (New)
  Pentecostal Church
  Ciceron Community Centre
  Baptist Church
  Ciceron Combined School
  George Charles Secondary School
Marigot Marigot Day Care Centre
Odsan Odsan Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Odsan Combined School
  Odsan Day Care Centre
Souci (West) Souci Old Day Care
  Souci New Day Care
Tapion Tapion School (Private)
The Morne Sir Arthur Lewis Community College
  St. Benedict Roman Catholic Church
Back To Top
Barre Denis CDC Dance Hall
Belair (New & Old) Belair Community Centre (New)
Bexon Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall
  Ravine Poisson Seventh-Day Adventist Church and Primary School
  Bexon roman Catholic Church
  Bexon Primary Combine School
  Bexon Grace Baptiste Church
  Bexon Infant combined School
  La Bayee Community Centre
Collie Town Coolie Town Day Care
  Coolie Town Pentecostal Church
Dierre Fort Dierre Fort Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Forestierre Forestierre Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Forestierre Combined School
  Forestierre Methodist Church
Geneau Geneau Evangelical Church
La Croix Maingot (East) La Croix Maingot Combined School
  La Croix Maingot Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Marc Marc Youth Skill Centre
  Marc Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Sarrot Sarrot Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Ti Rocher (Castries) Ti Rocher Combined School
  Ti Rocher Community Centre
Trois Piton Trois Piton Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Back To Top
St. Joseph Convent
Back To Top
Choiseul Village Reunion Roman Catholic Primary Combined School
  Choiseul Roman Catholic Church
  Reunion Pentecostal Church
  Reunion Roman Catholic Infant Combined School
Degard Delcer Roman Catholic School
  Delcer – Jacques Dance Hall
  Degard Combined School
Jetrine Banana Inn Disco
  Jetrine Pre School
  Front Line Disco
La Fargue La Fargue Junior Secondary School
  La Fargue Mission Evangelical Church
  La Fargue Community Centre
La Pointe Myroids Disco – Morne Sion
  La Pointe Pentecostal Church
  La Marze Mothers and Fathers Hall
  99 Disco Ravineau
Londonderry Londonderry Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Touch of Fire Disco
  Apostolic Faith Church
Mongouge Mongouge Community Centre
  Mongouge Combined School
Piaye Piaye Combined School
  Piaye Community Centre
  Piaye Secondary School
Reblot Debruiel (Roblot) Combined School
  Roblot Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Roblot Community Centre
River Doreè River Doree Mothers and Fathers Hall
  River Doree School
  River Doree Anglican Church
Saltibus Saltibus Combined School
  Saltibus Roman Catholic Church
  Daban Mothers and Fathers Hall
  Saltibus Multi-Purpose Centre
  Maranatha Baptist Church
Victoria Victoria Roman Catholic Church
  Victoria Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Back To Top
Aux Leon U.S.A Dance Hall
  Aux Leon Combined School
  Aux Leon Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Lamberts’ Dance Hall – Aux Leon
Derniere Riviere Denniere Riviere Combined School
  Denniere Riviere Evangelical Church
  Denniere Riviere Apostolic Faith Church
  Belmont Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Gardette Gardette Pentecostal Church
  Gardette Day Care Centre
Grand Ravine Abbot’s Disco
Grand Riviere Clauds’ Disco
  Grand Riviere Senior Primary School
  Grand Riviere Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Grand Riviere Shoulette Dance Hall
La Ressource (Dennery) La Ressource Day Care Centre
  La Ressource Roman Catholic Church
  La Ressource Parish Centre
  La Ressource Combined School
  La Ressource Mother’s & Father’s Hall
Richfond Richfond Combined School
Back To Top
Dennery Village Dennery Boys’ Primary School
  Dennery Roman Catholic Church
  Dennery CommunityCentre
  Dennery Multi-Purpose Centre
  Dennery Girls’ Primary School
  Clendon Mason Secondary School
  Dennery Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Dennery Infant School
La Caye La Caye Hall of Jehovah Witnesses’
  St. Mary’s Anglican Church
  La Caye Day Care Centre
La Perle/Limiere Rooster’s Place
Back To Top
Church of the Nazarene
  Evangelical Church
  Entrepot Secondary School
  Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School
Back To Top
Babonneau Babonneau Roman Catholic Church
  Pentecostal Church
  Babonneau Multi-purpose Centre
  Babonneau Community Centre
  Babonneau Infant/Primary School
  Babonneau Secondary School
Balata Balata Combined School
  Balata Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Boguis Boguis Combined School
Cacao Cacao Gospel Baptiste Church
Chassin Chassin Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Corinth Corinth Secondary School
Des Barras Des Barras Community Centre
  Des Barras Combined School
Fond Assau Fond Assau School
  Fond Assau Resource Centre
Grand Riviere (Gros Islet) Grand Riviere Primary School
  Grand Riviere seventh-day Adventist School
  Grand Riviere Infant School
Gros Islet Town Gros Islet Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Calvary Baptist Church
  Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church
  Gros Islet Infant School
  Boys’ Scout Building
  Gros Islet Primary School
  Gros Islet Church of Nazarine
  Old Convent
  Gros Islet Roman Catholic Church
La Guerre La Guerre Combined School
Marisule Marisule Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Monchy Monchy Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Monchy Roman Catholic Church
  Monchy Combined School
Paix Bouche Paix Bouche – Jehovah Witness Church
  Paix Bouche – Ambrose Dance Hall
Plateau (Babonneau) Plateau Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Union Union Combined School (New)
  Ti-Morne Evangelical Church
Back To Top
Augier Augier Evangelical Church
  Augier Pre-School (St. Francis Xavier)
  Augier Roman Catholic Church (St. Francis Xavier)
  Augier Combined School
  Augier Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Banse/La Grace Banse/La Grace Combined School
  Banse/La Grace Evangelical Church
Laborie Village New Life Pentecostal Church
  Laborie Roman Catholic Boys’ School
  Laborie Roman Catholic Girls’ School
  Laborie Roman Catholic Church
  Laborie Roman Catholic Parish Centre
  Laborie Community Education Centre
Back To Top
Marchand Roman Catholic Church
  Marchand Parish Centre
  Marchand Combined School
Back To Top
Blanchard Blanchard Pentecostal Church
  Augustine’s Place – Blanchard
  Blanchard Combined School
  Blanchard Community Centre
  Redeem Christian Fellowship Church - Blanchard
  Country Side Disco – Upper Blanchard
Desruisseaux Desruisseaux Combined School
  Desruisseaux Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Black Beauty Disco
  Desruisseaux Multi-Purpose Centre
  Desruisseaux Evangelical Church
  Anse Ger Rural Centre
  Anse Ger Secondary School
  Fond Desruisseaux-Mothers and Fathers Hall
  Desruisseaux Roman Catholic Church
Ti Rocher (Micoud) Mother Perpetual Church
  Seventh Day Adventist Church
  La Couville Community Centre
  Ti Rocher Multi-purpose Centre
  Liberty Baptist Church
  Ti Rocher Combined School
Back To Top
Micoud Village Ebenezer Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Highway Disco
  Micoud Community Centre
  Micoud Multi-Purpose Centre
  Micoud Roman Catholic Church
  Micoud Secondary School
  Micoud Infant School (Combined)
  Micoud Primary School (Combined)
  Faith Tabernacle Church
Mon Repos Mon Repos Roman Catholic Church
  Mon Repos Combined School
  Mon Repos Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Mon Repos Community Centre
  Eddie Gaston Hall
Patience Gillette’s Disco
  Banana Inn Disco
  Patience Combined School
Back To Top
Bouton Christ is the Answer Church – Fond Berniere
  Bouton Combined School
  Constantine’s Disco (Ten Ten) Belfond
  Les Etangs Combined School
  Disco – Chateau Belair Ebornes
  Rain Forest Disco – Ravine Clair
Fond St. Jacques Fond St. Jacques Roman Catholic Church
  Fond St. Jacques Infant School/Parish Centre
  Fond St. Jacques Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Fond St. Jacques Pre-School
  Raymonds Disco
  St. James Roman Catholic Primary School
Soufriere Town Soufriere Town Hall
  Soufriere Roman Catholic Church
  Soufriere Roman Catholic Boys’/Girls’ Infant School
  Soufriere Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Soufriere Comprehensive School
  Soufriere Roman Catholic Boys/Girls’ Primary (Former Old Girl Comprehensive)
  St. Isidore Hall
Back To Top
Belle Vue Big Jean Disco
  Belle Vue Combined School
  Belle Vue Roman Catholic Church – St. Joseph
Grace Grace Combined School
  Grace Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Grace Roman Catholic Church
  Grace Evangelical Church
  Morne Cayenne Evangelical Church
  Lazarus Disco
  Shamrock/Baptiste Church
Pierrot Pierrot Combined School
  St. Martin De Porres Roman Catholic Shrime
Vigier Primary School - Vigier
  Gillette’s Disco - Vigier
Back To Top
La Ressource La Ressource Seventh-Day Adventist Church (New)
Vieux Fort Town Vieux-Fort Senior Primary School
  Vieux-Fort Special Education Centre
  Vieux-Fort Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  Plain View Combined School
  Vieux-Fort Comprehensive School Campus ‘A’
  Vieux-Fort Comprehensive School Campus ‘B’
  Victory Pentecostal Church – St. Jude’s highway


Information provided by Government Information Services