Tropical Storm Kirk (2018)

This sluice (shown in 2014) on Worthing Beach, Barbados was opened to restore the desired water level in the Graeme Hall Swamp after torrential rainfall from Kirk.

Kirk produced sustained winds of 40 mph (64 km/h), gusting to 46 mph (74 km/h), on Barbados as it passed within 40 miles (64 km) of the island.[1] Rainfall in excess of 10 in (250 mm) caused extensive flooding of streets and homes, peaking on the night of September 27–28 on the back end of the storm system.[14] In some parts of Christ Church, floodwaters rose to 5 ft (1.5 m) in depth,[15] forcing some motorists to abandon their cars.[14][16] In total, 11 individuals in Saint Philip, Christ Church, and Bridgetown required emergency water rescue by the Barbados Defence Force.[17][18] The Barbados Light and Power Company reported power cuts in multiple neighborhoods.[19] Kirk also damaged a stone wall on the property of the Government House.[18] About 40 of the 110 buses owned by Barbados Transport Board were removed from service to allow for repairs of water-related damage incurred while driving through flooded streets.[20] This contributed to long delays for commuters in the following days.[21] A stretch of beach on the south coast was closed until the evening of October 1 so the sluice gate that regulates the Graeme Hall Swamp could be opened to release excess rainwater.[22] In the immediate aftermath of the flooding, Prime Minister Mia Mottley toured the hardest-hit communities with a team of government officials to assess the situation.[23] On October 19, the government of Barbados received an insurance payout of about Bds$11.6 million (US$5.8 million) from CCRIF SPC to cover flood damage.[24][25]

Heavy rainfall and resultant river flooding also affected northeastern Saint Vincent, with precipitation totals exceeding 4 in (100 mm). Coastal flooding due to high surf forced three families to evacuate their homes in New Sandy Bay Village and seek shelter in a public school.[11][26] Two fishermen disappeared and were presumed dead after they ignored weather advisories set out from Canouan during the storm.[26]

Strong winds, sustained at 46 mph (74 km/h) and gusting to 62 mph (100 km/h),[1] brought down trees and power lines on Saint Lucia, disrupting power and communications services to hundreds of homes.[11][27] Some additional power outages were caused by minor landslides.[28] Electric service was fully restored by late on September 30, after crews completed repairs that included replacing broken utility poles.[29] Several buildings were damaged and at least two were destroyed;[11] schools sustained an estimated EC$1.2 million (US$440,000) in damage. The strong winds also destroyed an anemometer at Hewanorra International Airport.[30] Following the storm, the Saint Lucia Red Cross provided blankets, tarpaulins, and other emergence supplies to households impacted by Kirk.[31] Agricultural interests took a hard hit, particularly in northern parts of the island;[11] many banana fields were ravaged, leading to an 80–90% loss of that crop on the island.[30][32] In Babonneau, some 2,000 chickens on a poultry farm were killed when their pens collapsed.[33]

In some cases, farmers were not covered under their insurance plans because Kirk fell just below intensity thresholds stipulated for tropical cyclone compensation.[34] Taiwan's International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) contributed EC$1.4 million (US$518,000) in relief funds to be distributed among 108 farmers on Saint Lucia.[34] This donation marked the beginning of the Banana Productivity Improvement Project, a joint program between the ICDF and the Saint Lucia government to support and educate farmers.[35] For instance, it was observed that banana farms shielded by windbreaks fared much better during Tropical Storm Kirk than exposed fields, so with additional ICDF funding, thousands of mango trees were planted as barriers against future wind storms, and growers were counseled on how to care for the trees.[36]

Gusty winds extended northward to Martinique; weather stations at standard 33-foot (10 m) elevation recorded sustained winds of 41 mph (66 km/h), gusting to 58 mph (93 km/h). One station at higher elevation observed a peak gust to 69 mph (111 km/h).[1] The winds damaged trees and cut power to 3,000 homes, mostly in Le Robert, Sainte-Marie, Gros-Morne, and Le Morne-Vert communes, and the capital city of Fort-de-France.[37] In Saint-Esprit, a sports complex sustained roof damage that required two days of expedited work to repair.[38] Some residents of Le Prêcheur had to flee a dangerous lahar triggered by heavy rains.[39] During his four-day tour of the French West Indies, President of France Emmanuel Macron canceled a planned visit to Fort-de-France in response to the storm.[40] Guadeloupe experienced lighter winds but more significant rainfall than Martinique, with precipitation totals reaching 6.81 in (173 mm) at Petit-Bourg.[41]

After Kirk dissipated, its remnants interacted with a trough of low pressure to produce showers and thunderstorms across Jamaica that prompted the dissemination of flash flood watches.[42]