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The Cayman Islands survived a glancing blow from Hurricane Ian Monday, as the storm passed offshore, bringing fierce winds and high seas but causing little lasting damage.
The primary casualties were coastal docks and boardwalks. Low-lying condo complexes and residential back roads were inundated with water while part of Seven Mile Beach – from the Marriott Beach Resort to the Coral Beach Club – was stripped clean of sand by the surging seas.
Around 130 people sought refuge in hurricane shelters Sunday night with a handful of coastal properties evacuated as the storm approached.
By mid-afternoon Monday almost 4,000 homes were without power, though most had electricity restored by the evening.
Part of South Sound Road and Seafarers Way on the George Town waterfront were temporarily closed to traffic through late afternoon as high seas pounded the coast.
Foliage along with chunks of concrete from a damaged car park were scattered across the road outside Burger King in George Town where roiling swells crashed into the ironshore, showering the carriageway in salt spray.
But as the wind abated and the water receded, the overwhelming feeling across Grand Cayman was one of relief.
There were no reports of any injuries, no serious structural damage and the vast majority of homes maintained power throughout.
Hurricane Ian passed 75 miles from the island at its closest point around 9am.
It was intensifying rapidly as it moved away from Cayman and is expected to cause life-threatening storm surge as it barrels towards Cuba.
Ian is expected to be a major hurricane by tomorrow morning and could still pose a substantial threat to life and property in Florida.
Disaster averted
For the Cayman Islands, it was a case of a potential disaster averted.
Clean-up crews were out in force Monday afternoon, clearing debris from the roads. The Cayman Islands Regiment was on patrol throughout the island, surveying the damage and providing support to residents where needed.
At the height of the storm Monday morning, wind speeds reached around 55 miles per hour on Grand Cayman. But much of the danger and the bulk of the damage was caused by the storm surge that followed throughout the morning. Wave heights are estimated to have reached around 10-12 feet, dousing coastal roads and submerging docks.
The all-clear was not declared until 3pm, with the National Emergency Operations Centre advising that conditions would steadily improve throughout the evening.
By that time the coast was already lined with onlookers, gasping at the waves, and taking cell-phone footage of the damage.
Premier: ‘We have been fortunate’
In a statement Monday afternoon, Premier Wayne Panton said, “While we have been very fortunate to have been spared the worst of a potentially very serious storm, I’m extremely pleased to have seen the efforts made by the Caymanian public to prepare for ‘the worst’, while praying for the best. In this situation, this is simply the safest, most strategic thing to do.”
Royal Navy ship HMS Medway is on standby in Cayman’s waters and troops may come ashore in the next few days to support the clean-up effort.
Governor Martyn Roper said the storm had been a useful stress-test of the island’s readiness. He said it was reassuring to have navy experts on standby even if they were not needed.
“We have been given the all clear from Hurricane Ian. Fortunately, the impact across all three islands has not been as bad as expected, but it is always right to over prepare. It has been a great test of our systems,” he said.
Regiment surveys the island
Regiment commander Simon Watson said troops had been on patrol across the island throughout the day.
He said the public had clearly responded to the wake-up call of Tropical Storm Grace late last year and were well prepared for everything Ian threw at them.
“We are really very lucky. We have dodged another bullet,” he said.
“We have seen some minor structural damage. Some of the jetties have taken a bit of a pounding, but it could have been much worse.
“It just goes to show that you have to be prepared because there may come a time when we are not so lucky.”
Hurricane Ian was the fourth storm since the formation of the regiment and the first for 30 new recruits who just finished basic training in August. It was also a first outing for the troops’ amphibious vehicles which were out and about throughout Cayman on Monday.
Announcing the all-clear Monday afternoon, Hazard Management Cayman Islands officials confirmed that schools would remain closed until Wednesday to assess damage.
The green all-clear flag was flying outside of the Government Administration Building to signal that the storm had passed.
A more thorough assessment of the damage will take place as normality returns on Tuesday.
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