Disaster risk reduction in Sint Maarten: Situational analysis 2022

This report presents the risk profile for Sint Maarten, exploring hazards, vulnerabilities, exposures, and capacities. The review and recommendations will therefore be of particular interest to the stakeholders at the national, subnational, regional, and global levels, including state and sectoral entities, private sector organizations, academia, donor agencies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders interested in understanding the risk environment for Sint Maarten in support of targeted interventions.

The Island of Sint Marteen is given the following risk profile:

• Sint Maarten is impacted by several natural and anthropogenic hazards; however hurricanes have proven to be most devastating in the country's history;
• The island is also vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, volcanic ash, environmental and biological hazards. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic serves as a timely reminder of the diverse and systemic nature of risk;
• the risk profile extends beyond the environment and hazard exposure to social, physical, and economic aspects. Rapid and extensive population growth has vastly increased the country's physical vulnerability, as the demands for land have pushed development into the high- risk hillsides;
• The country's almost sole reliance on a single industry, tourism, also vastly increases its vulnerability, as this sector has seen continuous devastation over the last years due to hurricanes and the travel restrictions imposed to quell the spread of COVID-19.