Hurricane Fred (2015)

Tropical Storm Fred intensifying between Cape Verde and West Africa on August 30

Swells from Fred reached wide stretches of the West African coastline, stirring up high seas as far north as Senegal. Along the shorelines between Dakar and M'Bour, rough surf devastated entire fishing districts and harbor towns, stranding boats and damaging roads and bridges. About 200 houses were demolished in the district of Hann, many of which experienced total wall collapse; dwellings in the town of Bargny endured similar destruction.[26][27] In the suburb of Rufisque, the waves overtopped dams, entered homes and cemeteries, and destroyed a mosque.[28] Several villages outside the capital area were completely cut off from their surroundings.[28] Victims across the affected region received more than 100 tons (220,000 lbs) of rice and 12 million CFA francs (US$20,000) in government relief funds.[29]

Farther south, in Guinea-Bissau, a storm surge flooded roads and low-lying establishments, such as offices and military barracks. The sea water submerged vast amounts of cropland in the Tombali Region, resulting in great losses of rice.[30] Offshore, waves as high as 23 feet (7 m) capsized a fishing boat with a crew of 19; twelve members were rescued, but the remaining seven disappeared at sea and were presumed dead.[31]

A tropical storm warning was issued for Cape Verde upon the storm's formation, as well as a hurricane watch in light of forecasts of additional intensification. When Fred showed definitive signs of strengthening, the alerts were replaced by a hurricane warning,[1] marking the first occasion of a hurricane-level advisory in the nation's history.[32] On the morning of August 31, TACV Cabo Verde Airlines suspended its flights from the capital of Praia to Dakar;[33] all operations at the airports of Boa Vista, Sal, and São Vicente were halted when squalls began to spread across the islands.[34] Officials urged shipping interests on all islands to secure their vessels and remain in port.[35] A national music festival was canceled in Porto Novo, on the northernmost island of Santo Antão.[36]

Throughout Cape Verde, Hurricane Fred displaced more than 50 families[37] and caused CVE$250 million ($2.5 million) in damage,[27][38] primarily to the agricultural and private sectors of the Barlavento Islands.[37] It was the first hurricane to move through Cape Verde with a documented impact,[nb 3] as well as the nation's only record of onshore hurricane-force winds.[27] Although there were no casualties on land,[37] two fishermen navigating through the storm never returned to port in Boa Vista and were presumed dead.[39] Despite the losses in crops and livestock in the Barlavento region, the rainfall from Fred had a generally positive effect on the large-scale agriculture of Cape Verde, refilling rivers and reservoirs and irrigating drought-stricken farmland across the Sotavento Islands.[40][41]

Povoação Velha, a village of 300 in southern Boa Vista, suffered damage to 70 percent of its homes.

Traversing the eastern islands on the afternoon of August 31, Fred brought strong thunderstorms with 60 mph (100 km/h) winds and 3.8 inches (96 mm) of rain to Boa Vista, uprooting trees, damaging roofs and plaster, and knocking out power to most of the population.[27][42] The winds toppled a transmission tower in Sal Rei, disrupting cellphone services.[27][42] Two inhabitants were taken to hospital for non-critical injuries after their home had partially collapsed.[34] Floods swept through low-lying areas of Rabil and cut off the main road to surrounding towns, hampering emergency workers.[42][43] The southern village of Povoação Velha bore the brunt of the storm; about 70 percent of the houses there experienced some degree of damage, from broken tiles and windows to crumbled walls,[44] with repair costs of CVE$3 million (US$30,000).[45] A compromised infrastructure left the village without power and telephone services for five days.[44] Throughout Boa Vista, estimated losses from Fred totaled CVE$76 million ($760,000), including CVE$26 million ($260,000) in restoration costs.[43]

Similar conditions occurred in parts of Sal. Along the island's southern shore, Fred's storm surge sunk or stranded dozens of vessels and destroyed the island's main tourist pier in Santa Maria.[46] Restoration efforts had not yet been completed by May 2017, about 1.5 years after the hurricane; the delay led to concerns over the island's precarious, tourism-reliant economy.[47][48] Hotels, restaurants, and beach facilities were flooded, and roads in the town became impassable. Gusts leveled the roof of a high school gym,[42] which had initially been set up as a storm shelter to 100 citizens.[46] Elsewhere on the island, the winds knocked out power to homes in Palmeira,[42] and caused minor structural damage to Sal International Airport.[49] At the height of the storm, floods forced nearly 130 people living in the impoverished outskirts of Terra Boa and Espargos to relocate to shelters.[42][50] Fred destroyed 80 percent of the Loggerhead sea turtle nests on the beaches of Sal, crucial nesting sites for the species.[51] Overall, the hurricane left CVE$30 million ($300,000) in damage across Sal.[27]

Fred produced strong winds and downpours across the mountainous northern islands of Barlavento. São Nicolau experienced sustained hurricane-force winds of 80 mph (130 km/h)—the highest official wind speed recorded during hurricane. Rainfall there was moderate, peaking at 3.5 in (90 mm) at Juncalinho.[27] The blustery weather uprooted many old trees, triggered landslides, and left the villages on the island without power.[27][52] The strong winds downed power poles and wrecked the roof of a church in the village of Cabeçalinho.[53] In Ribeira Brava, São Nicolau's most populous town, the storm damaged 70 homes, destroyed greenhouses, and leveled a farmhouse, leaving some families homeless and others without a source of income.[54] In Carriçal, the torrential rainfall flooded homes, washed out roads, and ruined fruit and hydroponic crops.[55] Much of São Nicolau's livestock, including cattle from Hortelã, was lost in the storm.[53][56] Damage to agriculture—primarily banana and sugarcane[52]—and private property on the island reached CVE$50 million ($500,000).[27]

Damage from Hurricane Fred in Cape Verde was greater and more widespread across the northern Barlavento Islands (in yellow) than the southern Sotavento Islands (in grey).

On the neighboring islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão, the storm's impact was limited to power outages, floods, and damaged crops.[57] Santo Antão recorded light winds and 8 in (200 mm) of rain,[41] although higher elevations received greater quantities.[27] In Porto Novo, 35 people were relocated as floods swept through neighborhoods.[58] The rain washed out the island's carrot, cabbage, and tomato plantations, especially in the vicinity of Alto Mira.[59] On São Vicente, roads were closed in and around Laginha. Gusts toppled two trees, one striking a car and lightly injuring the driver.[60] Hurricane-related costs for the two islands, mainly infrastructural repair, totaled CVE$16 million ($160,000).[27]

The impact of Fred on the Sotavento region was relatively minor. The storm's outer bands dropped heavy rain on the islands of Santiago and Fogo, peaking at 13 in (330 mm) in the mountains of Santiago and causing flood damage to roads, sidewalks, and walls.[27] In São Miguel, on the former island, flood waters and fallen trees led to major traffic obstructions.[61] Structural damage across Santiago, mostly due to urban flooding, reached CVE$87 million ($860,000).[27] Conversely, the rains replenished dried-up water resources; a large reservoir in São Salvador do Mundo was filled to maximum capacity, irrigating adjacent arable lands.[40]