page_title: Tropical Storm Nicole (2010)
section_title: Jamaica
hierarchical_section_title: Tropical Storm Nicole (2010) / Impact / Jamaica
caption_attribution_description: English: Landslide killed three people after TS Nicole in 2010.
context_page_description: Tropical Storm Nicole was a short-lived and unusually asymmetrical tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage, rainfall and flooding in Jamaica during the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the sixteenth tropical cyclone and the fourteenth named storm of the season, as well as the last of a record eight tropical storms to form in September. Originating from a broad monsoonal low, Nicole became a tropical depression over the northwestern Caribbean Sea on September 28. It maintained an unusual structure as it tracked northeastward, with a poorly defined wind circulation and few thunderstorms near its center. Nicole approached the coast of Cuba as a weak tropical storm, losing its status as a tropical cyclone over the territory on September 29. The remnants emerged over the Bahamas and eventually became absorbed by a separate extratropical system.
  Due to Nicole's atypical structure, the strongest thundershowers were well removed from the center; most of the weather activity occurred over the north-central Caribbean. In Jamaica, the storm triggered widespread power outages across more than 288,000 residences.
context_section_description: Nicole and its precursor disturbance brought great rainfall to much of Jamaica over a period of several days. A maximum of 37.42 inches (950 mm) was recorded in Belleisle, Westmoreland Parish, from September 26 to 30; most other parishes received more than 12 inches (300 mm) during the same period. With a return period of 30 years, these quantities tripled the monthly rainfall average for September at several locations. Though the broad-scale wind regime over the island remained gentle, the storm's intense convective bands produced three microbursts—small downdrafts of intense winds. With dozens of river banks and waterways blocked, the worst effects were due to landslides and particularly severe flooding across numerous communities primarily in southern parishes.
  The disaster affected 507,831 people on the island; it resulted in 16 deaths—14 of which confirmed—and 42 injuries. In Saint Andrew Parish's Sandy Park, a house next to a street gully succumbed to the effects of the storm; five bodies were recovered near the site, while the final missing inhabitant was presumed dead. Elsewhere in Saint Andrew, three construction workers were killed when the shed in which they were sleeping caved in. A girl was crushed to death under the weight of a collapsed board house in Saint Catherine Parish. Rushing waters swept away three people in different parts of the island, all of whom drowned. Amid a microburst, a waterspout tore roofs off buildings and hospitalized five residents in Westmoreland Parish's capital of Savanna-la-Mar, while to the northwest, strong gusts and rough surf impacted the resort town of Negril. In the wake of the storm, a body was recovered from debris along a road in Saint Catherine. Flooded streets, roads and bridges isolated communities across seven of the island's parishes and trapped hundreds of residents in their homes.
  Jamaica's infrastructure was devastated in the deluge, accounting for most of Nicole's damage to the island. More than 288,000 residences were without power at the height of the storm due to downed electricity lines and poles. About 40 percent of the island's water supply had been disrupted at some point. Dozens of bridges experienced total collapse under the force of swollen rivers and creeks. In Kingston, many underpasses became totally inundated as the prolonged rain overwhelmed storm drains; the flooding that followed left many of the city's roads impassable. Destruction to the infrastructure was especially extensive in Westmoreland, Saint Elizabeth, and Hanover parishes, though overall, 543 of the island's principle roads sustained at least some degree of damage. The total costs linked to the infrastructure neared J$20 billion (US$235.4 million).
  Nicole also wreaked widespread property damage: of the 2,169 homes affected, 474 sustained severe damage while 54 were beyond repair. The losses totaled J$274.3 million (US$3.2 million), J$75.6 million (US$890,000) hereof to replace destroyed housing units. With much of the island's crops and livestock washed away, including 40 percent of the season's banana produce, the agricultural sector suffered J$576.5 million (US$6.8 million) in losses. The storm had a discernible impact on the environment, which plays a crucial role in Jamaica's economy and tourism sectors. Surface runoff and spills along industrial zones and sewage systems infiltrated large stretches of land, leading to soil contamination, coastal erosion, and deteriorated ecosystems. In addition, there were traces of light damage to vegetation, such as uprooted trees.
caption: A shed collapsed in Saint Andrew Parish, killing the three construction workers inside
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