KRALENDIJK – With the arrival of June, the annual Atlantic hurricane season has officially come into effect. For Bonaire and the rest of the Caribbean, this marks the beginning of a period of heightened alertness that runs through November 30.
The hurricane season applies to all islands in the region, including the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao), the BES islands and Sint Maarten. Although the start and end dates are fixed, the bulk of storm activity typically occurs between August and October.
According to meteorological services, the risk for the southern islands, such as Bonaire, remains relatively limited compared to the Windward Islands such as Sint Maarten. Nevertheless, residents are advised to be well prepared for possible tropical storms or indirect weather impacts, such as heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Local authorities emphasize the importance of preparedness every year: an emergency kit, an up-to-date emergency plan and monitoring official weather reports can be critically important in the event of an approaching storm.
With the season now underway, the message is clear: vigilance remains essential, even on islands where direct hurricane strikes are less common.
For Bonaire
More information on hurricane preparedness and emergency measures is available through the Public Entity Bonaire:
https://bonairegov.com/bestuur-organisatie/rampenbestrijding
For Saba
To help residents prepare, hurricane preparedness tips and emergency information are available on the government website:
https://www.sabagov.nl/residents/disaster-management/hurricane-preparedness
For Sint Eustatius (Statia)
Informatie over rampenbeheer en voorbereiding is beschikbaar via de overheid van Sint Eustatius:
https://www.statiagovernment.com/disaster-management
