Hurricane Melissa has begun shifting northwest and remains on track to make landfall in Jamaica early Tuesday morning (October 28) as a powerful Category Five cyclone. Principal Director of the Meteorological Services Branch in the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Evan Thompson, said the hurricane is currently positioned just over 100 miles south of the island. “What we...

Residents of Trelawny and St. Ann are being urged to relocate to shelters before it is too late. Despite a broad network of emergency shelters set up at schools across both parishes in anticipation of the impact of Hurricane Melissa, occupancy levels remain low, prompting officials to issue a public plea to persons living in vulnerable areas. “We have some...

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is encouraging Jamaicans to remain positive as the nation prepares for the impact of category five hurricane Melissa. The system is expected to make landfall early Tuesday (October 28) as a powerful system bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall over the entire country, causing flooding and landslides. “Category five would be a really...

Critical government agencies are fully activated to respond to emergencies during Hurricane Melissa. “Already, we are seeing where persons have been reaching out, seeking assistance, and we have been responding as we get the calls, ” said Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon Desmond McKenzie. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security [MLSS]… is already working closely along...

The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) reports there are no major incidents on the electricity grid, even as the system is beginning to experience the effects of heightened wind and rainfall. Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Minister, Hon Daryl Vaz, made the disclosure during Monday’s (October 7) press briefing at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) at the Office of Disaster Preparedness...

The public is strongly advised to avoid contact with infrastructure that may be compromised, particularly in areas affected by floodwaters associated with Hurricane Melissa. This urging comes from Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development with Responsibility for Works, Hon. Robert Morgan. “If the bridge looks shaky, do not attempt to go on the bridge...

Jamaica has been receiving pledges of support for hurricane preparation and recovery from its regional and international partners, says Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness. “We have received calls of support from our partners – the United Nations, United States, the British, the French, the European Union, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). “All the CARICOM countries...