Tropical Storm Warning Lifted, Flash Flood Warning in Effect for Southern Parishes

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has advised that a flash flood warning is now in effect for southern parishes and a flash flood watch for the rest of the country until 5:00 pm on Tuesday (November 5).

The Tropical Storm warning has been discontinued, effective noon today.

This as the centre of Tropical Storm Rafael continues to move away from Jamaica.

ODPEM’s Acting Director General, Richard Thompson, told JIS News that the severe weather system continues to produce widespread showers, thunderstorms and strong winds, especially across southern parishes.

“We are expecting that we should have rainfall into the latter part of the evening, and probably also have some thunderstorms. So we’re saying to persons that thunderstorms are accompanied by lightning, and we don’t want persons to be struck by lightning,” he said.

Mr. Thompson noted that there have been cases of lightning strikes in Jamaica annually, “[and so] we are saying to persons, stay in as best as possible, because it is projected that there will be moments of thunderstorms throughout the day.”

He advises Jamaicans to keep listening to ODPEM and the Meteorological Service of Jamaica (Met Service) for the latest information.

“The information is going out from the ODPEM and the Met Service. There is social media space as well, where we are pushing information. We are pushing mass notification through our mobile providers, so that’s how persons can basically stay informed. Keep listening to the news and the other media, both [traditional] and new media,” Mr. Thompson said.