After the hurricane

by Philip Berke

In After the Hurricane, Philip R. Berke and Timothy Beatley present state-of-the-art research on recovery programs that work - programs that provide immediate aid to victims and also lay the basis for sustainable development and growth. Drawing on three years of extensive field research on Jamaica, Antigua, Montserrat, and St. Kitts and Nevis, Berke and Beatley offer detailed analysis of the effects of two recent major hurricanes - Gilbert in 1988 and Hugo in 1989. While focusing on postdisaster recovery, the authors also explore the opportunities offered by the recovery period for strengthening local institutions to provide for long-term social, economic, and physical development. They show how economic aid can be channeled beyond immediate needs to help provide long-term development initiatives. And they suggest ways of rethinking traditional approaches to aid and recovery programs in ways that offer a solid foundation for future growth.