Impact of tropical storms on the banking sector in the British Colonial Caribbean

Joel Huesler ()
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Joel Huesler: University of Bern

Cliometrica, 2024, vol. 18, issue 3, No 2, 653-690

Abstract: Abstract This paper investigates the impact of four historical tropical storms on the Colonial Bank’s operations in the British Caribbean between 1922 and 1927. By employing a high-frequency data set of bank transactions, this study reveals how these severe shocks influenced the banking activities of clients. The findings reveal a multifaceted and significant impact of tropical storm strikes on the banks’ operations, particularly a surge in borrowing via overdrafts of current accounts. Moreover, the study reveals the multifaceted nature of such storms’ impact on the bank’s functionality, with affected branches demonstrating an uptick in deposits and savings as a strategy to mitigate funding shocks. The results of the econometric analysis indicate that the impact of such storms on banks’ functionality during the early 20th century was significant and multidimensional. It highlights the critical role that the Colonial Bank plays in facilitating recovery from these devastating events and contributes to the existing literature by studying multiple shocks at different geographical locations and time frames.

Keywords: Environmental economic history; Banking history; Financial response to disasters; Caribbean economic development; Early 20th century banking; Natural disasters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G01 G21 N26 O16 Q54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11698-023-00280-1

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