ReliefWeb

KEY ISSUES

2017 HURRICANE SEASON

In 2017, Hurricane Irma and Maria caused widespread devastation in BVI, causing the deaths of 9 people and severely affecting the productive sectors of BVI´s economy. The system was predicted to pass north of Anegada; however, a shift caused the eye of the Hurricane to pass directly over Tortola. In the case of Hurricane Irma, damages accounted for USD $1.6 billion USD, with the productive sector suffering 41.9 per cent ($ 691.6 M) of total damages, followed by the social sectors that accounted for 40.2 per cent and infrastructure accounting 17.6 per cent.

MIGRANT POPULATIONS

BVI ranks second among Caribbean countries and territories with the highest proportion of migrants as a percentage of the total population9 More than 60 per cent of the BVI population was born overseas, with many coming from neighbouring Caribbean countries in search of sustainable employment. Most immigrants remain temporary workers with limited access to education and health services10. Spanish-speaking migrants may potentially experience greater vulnerability during emergencies due to the language barrier.