Caribbean island nations enter hurricane season facing a triple threat: the shutdown in tourism from COVID-19 has slashed government and household income; countries have been forced to seek external financing, such as from the International Monetary Fund, to respond to the pandemic; and this existing debt, combined with sharply reduced tourism revenue, will make securing financing to recover from coming storms even more difficult. Last year, Hurricane Dorian caused damages equal to more than a quarter of the Bahamas’ economic output — equivalent to the U.S. losing the combined output of California, Texas, and Florida. This year, NOAA expects about one-and-a-half times more named storms than average. “Small island states rely heavily on tourism and remittances. Both are now at a standstill,” United Nations head António Guterres told Reuters. “Households that had a secure income are at imminent risk of poverty and hunger.” (Caribbean: Reuters. Hurricanes background: Climate Signals)