NEMA URGES PUBLIC PREPAREDNESS AMID ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND 2026 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON

Basseterre, Saint Kitts, June 12, 2026 (SKNIS): The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is urging all residents, businesses, and institutions across Saint Kitts and Nevis to remain vigilant and prepared as the country faces ongoing drought conditions while simultaneously experiencing the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Speaking at a press conference today (June 12, 2026), National Disaster Coordinator (NDC) Livingston Pemberton emphasised that although seasonal forecasts suggest a below-average hurricane season, citizens should be on their guard.

“The forecast is suggesting to us that we may have a below-average season, but it only takes one [hurricane] to change our lives here in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis,” Pemberton said. “As such, we must always be in a state of preparedness.”

The National Disaster Coordinator noted that while the Federation is currently within the hurricane season, climate-related impacts are already being felt through increasingly dry conditions. Climate forecasts from the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) indicate that prolonged drought conditions are likely to persist under the influence of the El Niño phenomenon.

According to Pemberton, these drought conditions have significant implications for Saint Kitts and Nevis, affecting water resources, agriculture, public health, economic activity, and overall national resilience.

“The reality is that our very economy could be adversely impacted by these drought-like conditions,” he stated, adding that every sector of society is likely to feel the effects in one way or another.

Pemberton pointed to historical examples demonstrating how drought and hurricane activity can occur within the same period. He referenced the 1992 El Niño event, which coincided with the development of Hurricane Andrew, one of the most destructive hurricanes to impact South Florida, as well as Hurricane Joaquin, which caused significant devastation in The Bahamas.

“Someone might be saying you’re talking about drought and you’re talking about hurricanes. Yes, that is what I’m doing because they are occurring in the same period,” he explained.

NEMA is encouraging all citizens and residents not to become complacent because of forecasts indicating reduced hurricane activity. The Agency stressed that preparedness remains a shared responsibility and called on all sectors of society to embrace comprehensive disaster management practices.

Residents are encouraged to review household emergency plans, monitor official weather and drought advisories, conserve water wherever possible, and ensure emergency supplies are readily available.

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