Update As Of 2pm
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – As Tropical Storm Gustav becomes better organized, the Meteorological Office of Jamaica has placed the island under Hurricane Warning, with immediate effect.
Jamaica can expect high winds, floods and storm surges.
Disaster Preparedness committees throughout Western Jamaica have been activated.
The committees have been meeting over the past two days, assessing the situation on a daily basis and fine-tuning plans of action.
Disaster Preparedness Coordinator with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in the Parish of Westmoreland, Vilma Tate, told JIS News that the parish is about 65 per cent ready as a lot of preparatory work has been conducted. She pointed out that a drain-cleaning programme that was carried out by the Parish Council has seen to most of the drains throughout the parish being cleaned, which will help in preventing flooding in many areas.
She said that approximately 80 Emergency Shelters and Shelter Managers for those facilities have been identified throughout the parish and that are all ready for use if necessary. She added that there are some amount of emergency supplies is already in place, and that arrangements have been made with businesses throughout the parish to supply food items if necessary.
