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United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Resident Representative and UN Resident Co-ordinator, Dr. Arun Kashyap, says Disaster Risk Reduction is an integral component of equitable and inclusive development for all nation states. "It is clear from a development perspective, that disaster risk reduction is vital for building a more equitable and sustainable future,” he added. Dr. Kashyap pointed out that this...

Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Ronald Jackson, has stated the agency’s commitment to strengthening the country’s resilience to disasters, which have cost the country hundreds of billions of dollars. Mr. Jackson was speaking during a Country Risk Management stakeholders’ consultation workshop Wednesday August 29th at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston. He pointed...

At 4:00 a.m. Thursday August 30, 2012 the centre of Tropical Storm Kirk was located near Latitude 26.5 degrees north and Longitude 49.0 degrees west. This is about 1715 kilometres northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. Kirk is moving towards the northwest near at 17 km/h. A turn to the north-northwest and north is expected through Friday followed by acceleration...

At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Tropical Storm Isaac was located near Latitude 30.9 degrees north and Longitude 91.6 degrees west. This is about 85 kilometres southeast Alexandria Louisiana. Isaac is moving towards the northwest near at 13 km/h. A turn to the north-northwest is expected later today, followed by a turn to the north on Friday. On the forecast...

At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Hurricane Isaac was located near Latitude 29.2 degrees North and Longitude 90.5 degrees West or about 95 kilometres south-southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana. Isaac is moving towards the west northwest at 13 km/h. A general northwestward motion at a slower forward speed is expected today and tonight, followed by a turn toward the north-northwest...

At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Tropical Storm Isaac was located near Latitude 27.5 degrees north and Longitude 88.1 degrees west. This is about 205 kilometres south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Isaac is moving towards the northwest near at 19 km/h and this general motion is expected to continue today, with a gradual decrease in forward speed....

Jamaica, like the rest of the Caribbean, is now at the mid-point of the hurricane season, a time when high winds and sustained rainfall can cause severe damage to communities, and negatively impact the economies of affected countries. In many cases, hillside communities suffer from landslides which, aside from dislocating residents, sometimes lead to death, and the recovery period always...

At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Tropical Storm Isaac was located near Latitude 15.3 degrees north and Longitude 64.0 degrees west. Isaac is moving towards the west at 19 km/h and some erratic movement toward the west-northwest to northwest could occur this morning. A steady motion toward the west-northwest is expected to begin by this afternoon or tonight and continue...

As the hurricane season enters the peak period, Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Ronald Jackson, is urging Jamaicans to intensify their preparedness activities.      On Tuesday (August 21) the ninth Tropical Depression (TD) of the season was formed east of the Lesser Antilles, and is projected to move through the southern Leeward Islands and...

At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Tropical Storm was located near Latitude 15.5 degrees north and Longitude 57.3 degrees west or about 445 kilometres east of Guadeloupe. Isaac is moving toward the west at 30 km/h and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the centre should move through the...

At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Tropical Depression Nine was located near Latitude 15.2 degrees north and Longitude 51.2 degrees west or about 1150 kilometres east of the Leeward Islands. Ninth Depression of the Season Forms East of the Lesser Antilles The Depression is moving towards the west near 32 km/h and this general motion is expected to continue for...

At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Hurricane Gordon was located near Latitude 34.9 degrees north and Longitude 31.6 degrees west or about 950 kilometres west southwest of the Azores. Gordon is moving towards the east near 37 km/h. A turn toward the east-northeast is expected later today. On the forecast track the centre of Gordon will be near or over...