The US territory has declared a state of emergency as residents brace themselves for the tropical storm battering its way through the Caribbean. After the National Hurricane Centre issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning, forecasters expect Storm Dorian to develop into a hurricane within the next 24 hours. However, the danger of hurricanes is nothing new and should come as no surprise, if former US Vice President Al Gore’s predictions are anything to go by.
Writing in his 2006 book “An Inconvenient Truth”, he claimed that climate change will go on to cause more potential natural disasters like this.
He noted: “As the oceans get warmer, storms get stronger.
“In 2004, Florida was hit by four unusually powerful hurricanes.
“A growing number of new scientific studies are confirming that warner waters un the top layer of the ocean can drive more convection energy to fuel more powerful hurricanes.
“There is less agreement among scientists between the total number of hurricanes each year and global warming.”
Mr Gore went on to back up his claims, though.
He added: “This is because a multi-decade natural pattern has a powerful influence on hurricane frequency.
“But there is now a strong, new emerging consensus that global warming is indeed linked to a significant increase in both the duration and intensity of hurricanes.
“Brand-new evidence is causing some scientists to assert that global warming is even leading to an increase frequency of hurricanes.
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A tropical storm warning was also in effect for Martinique, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines, the NHC said in its latest advisory.
A team of over 200 people from nearly 30 different fire departments in South Florida were deployed to the Caribbean and Puerto Rico.
Scott Dean, Miami Fire Rescue assistant chief, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency activated two federal task forces based in Miami.
Task Force One headed to Puerto Rico Monday and Task Force two headed to Saint Croix.
Both teams are made up of elite-level first responders.
He told WSVN: ”We want to make sure that locals there get the most immediate assistance possible so that if there are any life-threatening situations, they can be treated and cared for accordingly.
“It’s the unknown, you won’t know until it’s already come through and see what the aftermath is.”
Dorian is the fourth named storm of this hurricane season, which usually peaks in mid-September.