Hurricane Iris
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Iris was a Category 4 hurricane that devastated Belize
in October 2001. It was the eleventh tropical cyclone, ninth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season
. It was the second strongest storm of the season behind Hurricane Michelle
.
Tropical Depression Eleven formed just southeast of Barbados on October 4. It traveled across the Windward Islands, and was named Tropical Storm Iris while south of Puerto Rico
on the 5th. Iris continued to the west and intensified. After passing just south of Jamaica, Iris reached Category 4 hurricane strength. Iris made landfall near Monkey River Town
, Belize
, on October 9 at Category 4 strength, but weakened rapidly. It dissipated later that day.
At least 49 were killed by Iris, 3 in the Dominican Republic
, 4 in Guatemala
, 22 in Belize
, and 19 from the M/V Wave Dancer, a ship that capsized off the Belize coast. Newspapers have reported an additional 30 deaths in Belize, but the government there has only confirmed the 20 deaths from the Wave Dancer. Damage in Belize is reported at $66.2 million (2001 USD, $72.9 million 2006 USD) and total damage is estimated to be $150 million (2001 USD, $165 million 2006 USD).
moved westward across the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It moved through an area of hostile wind shear
, caused by a large upper-level low
associated with a trough
to the northeast of the Lesser Antilles
. A few days later, the upper-level low detached from the trough and moved southwestward over the Caribbean Sea. This allowed for the formation of an upper-level ridge
, or high pressure area, over the tropical wave. The ridge provided a favorable environment for organization, and subsequently an area of convection increased along the wave axis. As the wave approached the Lesser Antilles, a mid-level circulation formed within the deep convection, and gradually a low-level circulation became more pronounced on satellite imagery; though its low-level circulation was very small and poorly defined, the system organized enough to be classified as Tropical Depression Eleven at 1200 UTC
on October 4, while located about 100 mi (160 km) southeast of Barbados
. Nine hours after developing, Hurricane Hunters
confirmed the formation of the depression.
In the first discussion on the depression, around which time the depression was passing between St. Vincent and St. Lucia, the NHC noted the potential for it to degenerate into a tropical wave if the cyclone maintained its fast forward motion. However, the official forecast was for the depression to gradually intensify, with its movement to the west-northwest under the influence of a strong ridge to its north. Compared to its appearance 24 hours prior, the depression had improved outflow
and more distinct convection, although the circulation initially remained very poorly organized. In the hours after its formation, flights by the Hurricane Hunters failed to report a closed circulation, despite its well-organized appearance on satellite imagery. Late on October 5, the Hurricane Hunters reported a circulation with flight-level winds of 74 mph (119 km/h), which was adjusted to a surface intensity of 60 mph (95 km/h); based on the data, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Iris about 155 mi (250 km) south of the southern coast of Puerto Rico. In post-season analysis, the NHC estimated Iris attained tropical storm status about nine hours earlier.
Despite its intensification and well-organized satellite appearance, the circulation remained very poorly defined. One forecaster noted the center as fragile, and that the cyclone could dissipate quickly if it encountered stronger wind shear to its south; however, the official forecast was for Iris to attain hurricane status while passing south of Hispaniola
and Jamaica
. Its overall appearance did not change significantly, although on October 6 the Hurricane Hunters reported a closed eye
, 23 mi (37 km) in diameter, with a stadium effect
. Late that day, Iris attained hurricane status just to the southwest of the southern tip of the Dominican Republic
. Upon becoming a hurricane, Iris maintained well-established outflow, and the NHC noted land interaction with the Greater Antilles as the only factor impeding further development. After reaching winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) early on October 7, its intensity remained steady for about 24 hours. During that time, its satellite appearance became slightly ragged as its outflow became restricted. By late on October 7, the area of hurricane force winds associated with Iris extended only 25 mi (35 km) from its 16 mi (22 km) wide eye.
Early on October 8 after turning west-southwestward away from the Greater Antilles, Iris began strengthening again. With warm waters and an absence of significant wind shear, it was forecast to intensify further. The NHC predicted peak winds of about 105 mph (165 km/h) before hitting Belize. It rapidly intensified
with the favorable conditions, intensifying from 95 mph (150 km/h) to 140 mph (225 km/h) in a 12 hour period on October 8, making Iris a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale
; in the same 12 hour period, the minimum central pressure
dropped 38 mbar
(1.12 inHg
). While intensifying, the hurricane developed concentric eyewalls, with an innermost eye having a diameter of 7 mi (11 km). For comparison, the smallest known eye diameter on record for an Atlantic hurricane was about 3 mi (5 km) during Hurricane Wilma
in 2005. With Iris having such a small eye, a Hurricane Hunters flight could not deploy a dropsonde
into the center of the eye, and shortly after the flight, the innermost eye collapsed as the core paralleled the Honduras coastline just offshore. This resulted in a temporary and slight weakening during an eyewall replacement cycle, and within a few hours Iris re-intensified to attain peak winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) just offshore Belize. At 0200 UTC on October 9, Iris made landfall
at peak intensity in Monkey River Town
in the southern portion of Belize.
Initially, Hurricane Iris was forecast to remain a tropical cyclone while crossing Central America
and for it to re-intensify in the eastern Pacific Ocean; had it done so, it would have retained the name Iris. However, officials noted the potential for the storm to dissipate, due to its small circulation. The hurricane rapidly weakened after moving ashore into the mountainous terrain of Guatemala, and within six hours of landfall the hurricane weakened to a tropical storm. Late on October 9, within sixteen hours of landfall, the tropical cyclone dissipated over extreme southeastern Mexico. As the remnants approached the Pacific Ocean, a new area of convection developed south of the original circulation of Iris. It gradually organized while continuing westward, developing into Tropical Storm Manuel and ultimately lasting until October 18 before succumbing to cooler waters and wind shear.
, the Cuba
n provinces of Granma
and Santiago de Cuba
, Jamaica
, Cayman Islands
, the Yucatán Peninsula
, Guatemala
, Honduras
and Belize
.
The threat from Iris prompted the activation of the Jamaica National Emergency Operations Center. Shelters were opened but were ultimately unused.
In Belize, a state of national emergency was declared on October 8 as Hurricane Iris neared landfall. All emergency response committees were activated to quickly begin recovery efforts. A mandatory evacuation was put in place for 50,000 residents in Stan Creek and Toledo coastal villages and all islands. The main hospital in Belize City was evacuated as a precaution and the city itself was placed under a voluntary evacuation order. Disaster response teams by this time were confirmed to be arriving the day after Iris was projected to make landfall. Pan American Health Organization staff were on standby in Belize, Guatemala and Honduras and were ready to respond to any post-storm disease outbreaks.
On October 8, the Government of Honduras declared a red alert for all northern regions.
reported rain and thunderstorms. In the Dominican Republic
, Iris dropped around 3 in (76.2 mm) of rainfall along the coast, forcing 35 families to evacuate their homes after rivers exceeded their banks. The rains triggered a landslide outside of Santo Domingo
that destroyed a home, killing a family of three. There was another landslide in the region that injured two people. Iris's passage near Jamaica left two houses destroyed and another two with damaged roofs, causing one injury. Otherwise, damage in the country was minimal.
citizens were killed as a result of this hurricane. Twenty-seven scuba divers from the Richmond Dive Club – Richmond
, VA
were anchored at a small dock ninety miles south of Belize City. Half of the Richmond Dive Club were diving off of the live-aboard boat, the Wave Dancer. The strong winds and waves of Hurricane Iris caused the Wave Dancer to capsize in Big Creek
. After the boat capsized in port, only three members of the Richmond Dive Club survived; only five members of the Wave Dancer crew survived. The remaining twenty people, both club members and crew, lost their lives. The result was the worst diving accident in United States history.
Family members of the dead allege negligence on the part of the company that chartered the trip, Peter Hughes Diving Co. They claim that the company did not prepare sufficiently for the hurricane, and did not heed the warnings of local officials to abandon ship and move inland. Their story is chronicled in the book "No Safe Harbor: The Tragedy of the Dive Ship Wave Dancer" authored by survivor Joe Burnworth.
Another boat, The Vendera, also reportedly capsized with people on board, but information on this vessel has not been confirmed by the National Hurricane Center.
Damaged totaled $99.5 million (2001 USD) in the country, with five injuries and 23 deaths.
and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane. Iris was replaced by Ingrid, which was used in the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season
.
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
in October 2001. It was the eleventh tropical cyclone, ninth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season
2001 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2001 Atlantic hurricane season was a fairly active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. The season officially lasted from June 1, 2001, to November 30, 2001, dates which by convention limit the period of each...
. It was the second strongest storm of the season behind Hurricane Michelle
Hurricane Michelle
Hurricane Michelle was the thirteenth named storm and the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. Michelle developed from a tropical wave that moved across the Atlantic, and formed into Tropical Depression Fifteen on the October 29. The depression slowly intensified as...
.
Tropical Depression Eleven formed just southeast of Barbados on October 4. It traveled across the Windward Islands, and was named Tropical Storm Iris while south of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
on the 5th. Iris continued to the west and intensified. After passing just south of Jamaica, Iris reached Category 4 hurricane strength. Iris made landfall near Monkey River Town
Monkey River Town
Monkey River Town is a village in the north of the Toledo District of the Central American nation of Belize. It is on the Caribbean Sea on the southern shore of the mouth of Belize's Monkey River...
, Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, on October 9 at Category 4 strength, but weakened rapidly. It dissipated later that day.
At least 49 were killed by Iris, 3 in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, 4 in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, 22 in Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, and 19 from the M/V Wave Dancer, a ship that capsized off the Belize coast. Newspapers have reported an additional 30 deaths in Belize, but the government there has only confirmed the 20 deaths from the Wave Dancer. Damage in Belize is reported at $66.2 million (2001 USD, $72.9 million 2006 USD) and total damage is estimated to be $150 million (2001 USD, $165 million 2006 USD).
Meteorological history
Toward the end of September 2001, a poorly defined tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
moved westward across the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It moved through an area of hostile wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
, caused by a large upper-level low
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
associated with a trough
Trough (meteorology)
A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
to the northeast of the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
. A few days later, the upper-level low detached from the trough and moved southwestward over the Caribbean Sea. This allowed for the formation of an upper-level ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
, or high pressure area, over the tropical wave. The ridge provided a favorable environment for organization, and subsequently an area of convection increased along the wave axis. As the wave approached the Lesser Antilles, a mid-level circulation formed within the deep convection, and gradually a low-level circulation became more pronounced on satellite imagery; though its low-level circulation was very small and poorly defined, the system organized enough to be classified as Tropical Depression Eleven at 1200 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
on October 4, while located about 100 mi (160 km) southeast of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. Nine hours after developing, Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
confirmed the formation of the depression.
In the first discussion on the depression, around which time the depression was passing between St. Vincent and St. Lucia, the NHC noted the potential for it to degenerate into a tropical wave if the cyclone maintained its fast forward motion. However, the official forecast was for the depression to gradually intensify, with its movement to the west-northwest under the influence of a strong ridge to its north. Compared to its appearance 24 hours prior, the depression had improved outflow
Outflow (meteorology)
Outflow, in meteorology, is air that flows outwards from a storm system. It is associated with ridging, or anticyclonic flow. In the low levels of the troposphere, outflow radiates from thunderstorms in the form of a wedge of rain-cooled air, which is visible as a thin rope-like cloud on weather...
and more distinct convection, although the circulation initially remained very poorly organized. In the hours after its formation, flights by the Hurricane Hunters failed to report a closed circulation, despite its well-organized appearance on satellite imagery. Late on October 5, the Hurricane Hunters reported a circulation with flight-level winds of 74 mph (119 km/h), which was adjusted to a surface intensity of 60 mph (95 km/h); based on the data, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Iris about 155 mi (250 km) south of the southern coast of Puerto Rico. In post-season analysis, the NHC estimated Iris attained tropical storm status about nine hours earlier.
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
and Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Its overall appearance did not change significantly, although on October 6 the Hurricane Hunters reported a closed eye
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
, 23 mi (37 km) in diameter, with a stadium effect
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
. Late that day, Iris attained hurricane status just to the southwest of the southern tip of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Upon becoming a hurricane, Iris maintained well-established outflow, and the NHC noted land interaction with the Greater Antilles as the only factor impeding further development. After reaching winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) early on October 7, its intensity remained steady for about 24 hours. During that time, its satellite appearance became slightly ragged as its outflow became restricted. By late on October 7, the area of hurricane force winds associated with Iris extended only 25 mi (35 km) from its 16 mi (22 km) wide eye.
Early on October 8 after turning west-southwestward away from the Greater Antilles, Iris began strengthening again. With warm waters and an absence of significant wind shear, it was forecast to intensify further. The NHC predicted peak winds of about 105 mph (165 km/h) before hitting Belize. It rapidly intensified
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
with the favorable conditions, intensifying from 95 mph (150 km/h) to 140 mph (225 km/h) in a 12 hour period on October 8, making Iris a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
; in the same 12 hour period, the minimum central pressure
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...
dropped 38 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
(1.12 inHg
Inch of mercury
Inches of mercury, ' is a unit of measurement for pressure. It is still widely used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States, but is seldom used elsewhere....
). While intensifying, the hurricane developed concentric eyewalls, with an innermost eye having a diameter of 7 mi (11 km). For comparison, the smallest known eye diameter on record for an Atlantic hurricane was about 3 mi (5 km) during Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma was the twenty-second storm , thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and fourth Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 season...
in 2005. With Iris having such a small eye, a Hurricane Hunters flight could not deploy a dropsonde
Dropsonde
A dropsonde is a weather reconnaissance device created by the National Center for Atmospheric Research , designed to be dropped from an aircraft at altitude to more accurately measure tropical storm conditions as the device falls to the surface...
into the center of the eye, and shortly after the flight, the innermost eye collapsed as the core paralleled the Honduras coastline just offshore. This resulted in a temporary and slight weakening during an eyewall replacement cycle, and within a few hours Iris re-intensified to attain peak winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) just offshore Belize. At 0200 UTC on October 9, Iris made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
at peak intensity in Monkey River Town
Monkey River Town
Monkey River Town is a village in the north of the Toledo District of the Central American nation of Belize. It is on the Caribbean Sea on the southern shore of the mouth of Belize's Monkey River...
in the southern portion of Belize.
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and for it to re-intensify in the eastern Pacific Ocean; had it done so, it would have retained the name Iris. However, officials noted the potential for the storm to dissipate, due to its small circulation. The hurricane rapidly weakened after moving ashore into the mountainous terrain of Guatemala, and within six hours of landfall the hurricane weakened to a tropical storm. Late on October 9, within sixteen hours of landfall, the tropical cyclone dissipated over extreme southeastern Mexico. As the remnants approached the Pacific Ocean, a new area of convection developed south of the original circulation of Iris. It gradually organized while continuing westward, developing into Tropical Storm Manuel and ultimately lasting until October 18 before succumbing to cooler waters and wind shear.
Preparations
Over a stretch of four days, sixteen tropical cyclone watches and warnings were issued in association with Iris, including the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, the Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n provinces of Granma
Granma Province
Granma is one of the provinces of Cuba. Its capital is Bayamo. Other towns include Manzanillo and Pilón.-History:...
and Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba Province
Santiago de Cuba Province is the second most populated province in the island of Cuba. The largest city Santiago de Cuba is the main administrative center...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, the Yucatán Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
and Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
.
The threat from Iris prompted the activation of the Jamaica National Emergency Operations Center. Shelters were opened but were ultimately unused.
In Belize, a state of national emergency was declared on October 8 as Hurricane Iris neared landfall. All emergency response committees were activated to quickly begin recovery efforts. A mandatory evacuation was put in place for 50,000 residents in Stan Creek and Toledo coastal villages and all islands. The main hospital in Belize City was evacuated as a precaution and the city itself was placed under a voluntary evacuation order. Disaster response teams by this time were confirmed to be arriving the day after Iris was projected to make landfall. Pan American Health Organization staff were on standby in Belize, Guatemala and Honduras and were ready to respond to any post-storm disease outbreaks.
On October 8, the Government of Honduras declared a red alert for all northern regions.
Impact
| State/country | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Belize Belize Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official... |
23 |
| Dominican Republic Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries... |
3 |
| Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast... |
5 |
| Offshore Shore A shore or shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In Physical Oceanography a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past and present, while the beach is at the edge of the shore,... |
19 |
| Total | 50 |
Lesser and Greater Antilles
As Iris was in its development stages, residents as far north as Saint ThomasSaint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
reported rain and thunderstorms. In the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Iris dropped around 3 in (76.2 mm) of rainfall along the coast, forcing 35 families to evacuate their homes after rivers exceeded their banks. The rains triggered a landslide outside of Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
that destroyed a home, killing a family of three. There was another landslide in the region that injured two people. Iris's passage near Jamaica left two houses destroyed and another two with damaged roofs, causing one injury. Otherwise, damage in the country was minimal.
Offshore
Nineteen United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizens were killed as a result of this hurricane. Twenty-seven scuba divers from the Richmond Dive Club – Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, VA
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
were anchored at a small dock ninety miles south of Belize City. Half of the Richmond Dive Club were diving off of the live-aboard boat, the Wave Dancer. The strong winds and waves of Hurricane Iris caused the Wave Dancer to capsize in Big Creek
Big Creek, Belize
Big Creek is a sea port facility in Belize. Big Creek is a deep-water port on the Caribbean Sea in Belize's Toledo District , constructed in the 1990s. It is the nation's second most important port, after Belize City. Big Creek is the main port for Belize's banana industry; citrus fruit and shrimp...
. After the boat capsized in port, only three members of the Richmond Dive Club survived; only five members of the Wave Dancer crew survived. The remaining twenty people, both club members and crew, lost their lives. The result was the worst diving accident in United States history.
Family members of the dead allege negligence on the part of the company that chartered the trip, Peter Hughes Diving Co. They claim that the company did not prepare sufficiently for the hurricane, and did not heed the warnings of local officials to abandon ship and move inland. Their story is chronicled in the book "No Safe Harbor: The Tragedy of the Dive Ship Wave Dancer" authored by survivor Joe Burnworth.
Another boat, The Vendera, also reportedly capsized with people on board, but information on this vessel has not been confirmed by the National Hurricane Center.
Belize
A total of 3,718 homes were destroyed by the storm. Nineteen schools were destroyed and 12 others were damaged by Iris; 21 governmental buildings were damaged, including two police stations that were destroyed. All power was lost to the affected regions, costing roughly $1.25 million. Total damages to infrastructure was estimated at $8.15 million. The agricultural sector sustained severe damage and losses. Most livestock were killed during the storm, the shrimping industry lost 25% of their catch and large areas of farmland were inundated by flood waters. Losses in the agricultural industry were estimated at $74.5 million. Twenty-two people were killed by the storm and eight others were listed as missing.Damaged totaled $99.5 million (2001 USD) in the country, with five injuries and 23 deaths.
Guatemala
In Guatemala, high winds and heavy rains, generally amounting to 3 to 4 in (76.2 to 101.6 mm), triggered flash flooding and landslides that killed at least five people and injured nearly 100 others. An estimated 27,500 people were affected by the storm throughout the country. In central Guatemala, 2,500 homes were damaged and along the Belize border, another 1,200 were destroyed.Belize
On October 9, the Government of Belize issued the "all clear" signal, indicating that the storm had fully passed. Following this, reconstruction efforts and damage assessment began. Although sustaining significant damage, the Government of Guatemala deployed a working team with members from throughout the country to assist in recovery in Belize.Guatemala
By October 18, the Action by Churches Together International foundation proposed to provide $246,239 in disaster funds to victims of the hurricane.Retirement
The name Iris was retired in the spring of 2002 by the World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane. Iris was replaced by Ingrid, which was used in the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season
2007 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 tropical storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the...
.
See also
- List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
- Other tropical cyclones named IrisTropical Storm IrisThe name Iris was used for three tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean.* * 1989's Tropical Storm Iris - failed to get very strong or threaten land due to interaction with Hurricane Hugo, but dropped heavy rain on areas already drenched by Hugo.* 1995's Hurricane Iris - moved up Leeward Islands,...
- List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes