Barbados entered the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season on Monday with government agencies, emergency responders and key interest groups reporting a high state of readiness to respond to any natural disaster.

Preparedness was no longer optional but essential to national survival and sustainable development, Minister of Home Affairs Gregory Nicholls told the official launch of the hurricane season at the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) headquarters.

He revealed that over the past two weeks, Prime Minister Mia Mottley chaired national disaster risk management hurricane readiness meetings aimed at ensuring effective national coordination and emergency management systems.