Hurricane Occurrence and Seasonal Activity: An Analysis of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season

This article provides a reckoning of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season’s place in history to ascertain how unique it was from other hurricane seasons. A research strategy involving qualitative, descriptive and analytical research approaches, including content analysis, sequential description of events and comparative analysis, were used to assess how and why the 2017 AHS season is distinct from others. Findings reveal that the 2017 AHS was extraordinary by all meteorological standards—in many ways, being hyperactive, and producing a frenetic stretch of huge, long-lived and dramatic, tropical storms including 10 hurricanes. The season was, arguably, the most expensive in history and will be remembered for the unprecedented devastation caused by the season’s major hurricanes (Harvey, Irma and Maria). While the extremely active season can be attributed to anomalously high, climate change induced, hurricane friendly environmental conditions in the Atlantic basin, early forecasts did not also predict the hyperactivity of the season. This article, therefore, advances for a more strategic anticipatory and proactive approach in dealing with these severe storms, underpinned by effective mitigation of their effects. Furthermore, the article adds value to the literature examining extreme natural forces, particularly in understanding variations in the ferocity of the meteorological events associated with hurricane seasons.

Disaster Risk Reduction in Cameroon: Are Contemporary Disaster Management Frameworks Accommodating the Sendai Framework Agenda 2030?

Many African countries are prone to numerous hazardous events,exacerbated by the vulnerability of their rapidly increasing population and leading to frequent disasters that often have dire fiscal and development implications.Yet,there is declining sensitivity to these risks,contrary to the conventional wisdom of disaster management(DM)principles.The primary aim of this research is to understand the constraints and/or challenges limiting the ability of contemporary African DM systems/institutional frameworks from implementing adequate disaster risk reduction(DRR)measures.Using a qualitative,case study based research strategy,this research investigates resistance to the effective implementation of DM/DRR within Cameroon’s contemporary DM system by using the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 guiding principles for DRR as benchmark.The findings reveal the existence of resistance factors that particularly complicate the communication,decision making,and coordination of DRR activities,the provision of resources,aspects of international assistance,as well as DRR planning and policies.The authors argue that such resistance factors contribute to making Cameroon’s DM system more reactive and further undermine risk reduction.The article concludes by offering key recommendations that have the potential to alleviate the identified resistance factors as well as strengthen Cameroon’s DM,particularly in relation to capacity building,training,research development,and organizational resilience.