Flood risk management for a Caribbean island

Flooding is rare on the small coral island of Anguilla and the islanders had made little provision for land drainage and flood protection prior to the two hurricanes that struck the island in 1999. The storms produced the worst flooding on the island for generations, with flood depths up to several metres. This paper outlines the findings of a study to evaluate flood risk and propose mitigating measures at key sites on the island. It explains how a previous storm event and the geomorphology of the island exacerbated the risk of flooding. The study has provided land drainage guidelines for use in the planning of the island's physical infrastructure development. In some cases, the desire to implement such guidelines is likely to be resisted by the aspirations of the island to further develop tourism facilities and related infrastructure.