The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) will be donating US$30,000.00 to the Earthquake Unit, University of the West Indies (UWI), to facilitate the installation of four motion seismographs (accelerometer) in the Kingston Metropolitan Area Including the offices of ODPEM.

More than one thousand people marooned in communities in St. Thomas, since the passage of Hurricane Sandy, are reportedly without basic food supplies.

The residents of Epping Farm, Penline Castle, Minto, Hagley's Gap, Grass Piece, and Mahogany Vale are appealing to the authorities for assistance.

They told RJR News that the few shops serving the communities have run out of stock and there is no drinking water.

The Event

At 10:00 a.m on Monday October 22, 2012, Tropical Depression #18 was upgraded to TS Sandy. The storm was on a southwestward track and was located some 320 miles south of Pedro Cays. By 4 a.m on Tuesday, TS Sandy was 250 miles of Pedro cay on a northward motion. At this time light to moderate showers had begun to affect sections of the island.

NATURE OF EVENT:

The All Clear was issued for Jamaica at 5:00 a.m this morning by the National Meteorological Centre as Hurricane Sandy has traversed the island and is now en route to Bahama

EVACUATION

Given the All Clear planning for re-entry to evacuated communities is now taking place.

CASUALTY

No further casualties reported.

As Hurricane Sandy makes its way across Jamaica, the National Meteorological Centre at the Norman Manley International Airport reported that the eye of Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the South Eastern Coast of Jamaica approximately 5 miles east of Kingston at 2:00 pm today. Sandy is now moving towards the North of Jamaica and this general motion is expected to continue today and tomorrow with a slight increase in forward speed.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness is reporting that 1056 persons are currently housed in 67 shelters across the island.

Press Release # 1

Issued on: Monday June 18, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

“Flash Flood Watch”

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is advising the public that based on the Flood Watch issued by the National Meteorological Service, Key National Response personnel and Parish Disaster Coordinators have been notified of the status of rainfall over the past three days and expected precipitation into tonight and tomorrow. They have been placed on alert in the event the National Meteorological Service moves to a warning.

OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

TO: ALL MEDIA HOUSES

FROM: Kimberley Weller, Information Officer

DEPT: Information and Training

PHONE: (876) 906 9674-5 / 754 9077-8 FAX: (876) 754 3229

WEBSITE: www.odpem.org.jm

For Immediate Release

Press Release # 1

Issued on: Friday January 13, 2012 at 11:40 a.m.

KINGSTON — Project Manager, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Kirk Frankson, has informed that the agency will be rolling out a pilot phase of the Jamaica Landslide Risk Reduction Project in four at-risk communities across the island.

Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ today (September 23), Mr. Frankson noted that the agency has not yet completed the process of identifying the communities, but pointed out that the selection would be based on very specific guidelines.

KINGSTON — Six local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are to receive some US$5 million in grant funding to carry out micro-enterprise, agricultural and climate change projects under the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Development Grants Program (DGP)

The groups, which were announced at a function held on June 29 at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston are the Competitiveness Company; Environmental Health Foundation; INMED Partnership for Children; Jamaica Cocoa Farmers Association; and Local Initiative Facility for the Environment.