Situated between two rivers – the Grande Rivière in the south and Petite Rivière in the north – the Anse La Raye community in Saint Lucia is naturally flood prone.

In recent years, flood mitigation projects implemented along the rivers have seen a decrease in the severity of floods in the village, however several factors such as the sea swells and overgrowth of the mangrove along the Petite Rivière continue to pose the threat of floods.

The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF SPC) has partnered with the OECS Commission and the Anse La Raye Disaster Committee to design and implement a community based intervention to sustainably manage the Mangrove, reduce the flood risk and enhance local livelihoods.

Chairman of the Anse La Raye Disaster Committee, Mr. Stephen Griffith, said the project was critical to mitigate flooding for many residents of the village.

“The water was not following its natural course. The mangrove caused the river to make a curve towards the village which, when it rains heavily, would flow into a residential area posing a danger to property and lives,” said Griffith.

Mr. Griffith thanked CCRIF SPC and the OECS Commission for the much-needed assistance to implement the project and noted that residents are already experiencing benefits as heavy rains last December (2017) did not result in the usual levels of flooding.

Plans to maintain the sustainability of the project include the restoration of the mangrove, the installation of a boardwalk and wildlife park, capacity building for at least 20 young persons in Mangrove Management and a sensitization and anti-litter campaign in the community and in schools.

“We will target adults, to try to get them to dispose of their garbage properly, but our primary aim is to target the school children so that they can develop these habits from an early age,” noted Griffith.

The Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Unit of the OECS Commission thanks CCRIF SPC for their continued support. The OECS Commission and CCRIF SPC recently signed off on a second five-year Memorandum of Understanding towards disaster risk reduction.