Persons in Flood-Prone Areas Urged to Heed Evacuation Notices

Jamaicans living in flood-prone areas are being urged to move swiftly to designated shelters once an evacuation notice is given, as the country braces for a severe weather system this weekend.

The latest update from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica (Met Office) indicates that a tropical storm watch is now in effect for Jamaica as tropical depression number nine continues to strengthen over the central Caribbean.

This means that tropical storm conditions pose a possible threat to the country within the next 48 hours.

“Once you have been given adequate notice, it is in your interest to move to the shelters that are available. Shelter managers are on stand-by (and) we will do everything between today and tomorrow to pass on the information to the public as to what to expect and where the shelters are,” said Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie.

He was speaking on Friday (September 23) at a special committee meeting of the National Disaster Risk Management Council at the Ministry’s office in Kingston.

Mr. McKenzie outlined that, “Once the meteorological service advises us of the nature of what is coming, then we will make arrangements to have transportation ready to evacuate persons out of flood-prone communities.”

“Every effort will be made…we will use the public media. We are not going to use any brute force to remove any individual from their space,” he noted.

Furthermore, the Minister said that the government will ensure that basic necessities are available at shelters.

Already, relief supplies have been placed at strategic points across the country by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

Several key public and private sector entities attended today’s committee meeting, to provide an update on their state-of-readiness.

Mr. McKenzie expressed his satisfaction that the country’s major utility companies, Jamaica Public Service (JPS), National Water Commission (NWC), FLOW and Digicel, have all indicated that they are prepared for the impending severe weather system.

The National Works Agency (NWA) has also stated its readiness.

In addition, the Minister said that he has met with the mayors of all municipalities and municipal corporations across the country and that they are also prepared, having undertaken an extensive, island-wide drain cleaning exercise with the NWA.