Jamaica Deploys Canadian Drones and AI for Enhanced Disaster Response
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Jamaica brings in Canadian drones to fly over disaster zones
Aug 26 (Reuters) - Jamaica will use drones donated by Canada to boost its disaster response services, state information service JIS said on Tuesday, as the Caribbean braces for stronger hurricanes in the coming years fueled by warmer oceans resulting from climate change. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT U.S. government forecasters predict an "above-normal" 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, with storms fueled by warmer ocean temperatures and whose development could be boosted by softer westerly winds. Despite their small greenhouse gas emissions, small island states are particularly vulnerable to effects of climate change. The Caribbean lies in a region where tropical waves that develop off the West African coast can strengthen into powerful storms. KEY QUOTE Jamaica's Geographic Information System (GIS) project manager, Okieno Samuels, said in a statement the drones would play a critical role by doing post-disaster risk assessments instead of relying on people who could be placed in dangerous situations. "We could have an automated response to (disasters); instead of having a person physically go or putting themselves at risk, we could have the drone do a flyover," he said. Samuels said his office was also training an artificial intelligence model to assess building damages. The statement did not say how many drones were being donated by Canada. CONTEXT Erin is the only storm of the 2025 season so far to reach hurricane status. It was one of the fastest storms on record to hit Category 5, in little over 27 hours, but the storm steered clear of land. The hurricane season typically peaks in September. Last year's Atlantic season was extremely active, with two Category 5 storms among five major hurricanes. These included Beryl, the earliest such storm on record for the season. The Caribbean nation of Grenada said its small islands battered by the storm could take decades to fully recover from the damage. BY THE NUMBERS The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts the current season, which lasts through the end of November, will bring six to 10 hurricanes, including three to five of major strength, reaching 111 mph (178 kmh) or higher. Last year's season saw 11 Atlantic hurricanes. Reporting by Sarah Morland Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Climate & Energy * Climate Change * Climate Solutions Sarah Morland Thomson Reuters Sarah is a British-French journalist covering news from across Latin America and the Caribbean, including gender violence, mining developments, regional finance and conflict in Haiti. She joined Reuters in 2019 and studied investigative journalism at City, University of London. Based in Mexico City, Sarah enjoys spicy food, dad rock and befriending the local cat population.
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Jamaica brings in Canadian drones to fly over disaster zones
(Reuters) -Jamaica will use drones donated by Canada to boost its disaster response services, state information service JIS said on Tuesday, as the Caribbean braces for stronger hurricanes in the coming years fueled by warmer oceans resulting from climate change. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT U.S. government forecasters predict an "above-normal" 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, with storms fueled by warmer ocean temperatures and whose development could be boosted by softer westerly winds. Despite their small greenhouse gas emissions, small island states are particularly vulnerable to effects of climate change. The Caribbean lies in a region where tropical waves that develop off the West African coast can strengthen into powerful storms. KEY QUOTE Jamaica's Geographic Information System (GIS) project manager, Okieno Samuels, said in a statement the drones would play a critical role by doing post-disaster risk assessments instead of relying on people who could be placed in dangerous situations. "We could have an automated response to (disasters); instead of having a person physically go or putting themselves at risk, we could have the drone do a flyover," he said. Samuels said his office was also training an artificial intelligence model to assess building damages. The statement did not say how many drones were being donated by Canada. CONTEXT Erin is the only storm of the 2025 season so far to reach hurricane status. It was one of the fastest storms on record to hit Category 5, in little over 27 hours, but the storm steered clear of land. The hurricane season typically peaks in September. Last year's Atlantic season was extremely active, with two Category 5 storms among five major hurricanes. These included Beryl, the earliest such storm on record for the season. The Caribbean nation of Grenada said its small islands battered by the storm could take decades to fully recover from the damage. BY THE NUMBERS The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts the current season, which lasts through the end of November, will bring six to 10 hurricanes, including three to five of major strength, reaching 111 mph (178 kmh) or higher. Last year's season saw 11 Atlantic hurricanes.
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Jamaica introduces Canadian-donated drones and AI technology to improve disaster response capabilities, particularly for hurricane season assessments and damage evaluation.
Jamaica Embraces Drone Technology for Disaster Response
Jamaica is set to revolutionize its disaster response capabilities with the introduction of drones donated by Canada. This technological advancement comes as the Caribbean region prepares for increasingly severe hurricane seasons, exacerbated by climate change and warming oceans
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.Enhancing Safety and Efficiency in Post-Disaster Assessments
The drones will play a crucial role in conducting post-disaster risk assessments, significantly reducing the need to put human lives at risk. Okieno Samuels, Jamaica's Geographic Information System (GIS) project manager, emphasized the importance of this development:
"We could have an automated response to (disasters); instead of having a person physically go or putting themselves at risk, we could have the drone do a flyover," Samuels stated
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.This shift towards automated assessment not only enhances safety but also promises more efficient and timely evaluations of disaster-stricken areas.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence for Comprehensive Analysis
In addition to drone technology, Jamaica's GIS office is taking a step further by training an artificial intelligence model to assess building damages
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. This integration of AI with drone capabilities represents a significant leap in disaster response technology, potentially allowing for faster and more accurate damage assessments.Climate Change and Its Impact on the Caribbean
The implementation of this advanced technology is timely, given the increasing threat of climate change to small island states like Jamaica. Despite their minimal greenhouse gas emissions, these nations are disproportionately affected by the consequences of global warming
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.The Caribbean's geographical location makes it particularly vulnerable to tropical storms that develop off the West African coast and intensify into powerful hurricanes. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts an "above-normal" 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, with expectations of:
- 6 to 10 hurricanes
- 3 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher, with winds of at least 111 mph or 178 km/h)
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Recent Hurricane Activity and Its Implications
The 2025 hurricane season has already seen its first major storm, Erin, which rapidly intensified to a Category 5 hurricane in just over 27 hours – one of the fastest on record. Although Erin didn't make landfall, it serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers facing the region
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.The previous year's Atlantic hurricane season was particularly active, featuring two Category 5 storms among five major hurricanes. The impact of these storms can be long-lasting, as evidenced by the Caribbean nation of Grenada, which reported that recovery from storm damage could take decades
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.Canada's Contribution to Jamaica's Disaster Preparedness
While the exact number of drones donated by Canada remains undisclosed, this contribution marks a significant step in international cooperation for disaster preparedness. By providing Jamaica with advanced technology, Canada is helping to build resilience in a region increasingly threatened by climate-related disasters
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.As Jamaica integrates these new tools into its disaster response framework, the nation sets an example for how small island states can leverage technology to adapt to the growing challenges posed by climate change and extreme weather events.
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