Hurricane Lenny OCHA Situation Report No. 4

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 99/0227
Hurricane Lenny - Caribbean Region
OCHA Situation Report No.4
18 November 1999

This message is not an official hurricane warning or alert for any country.

1. The National Hurricane Centre in Miami reports that hurricane Lenny(category 4 hurricane on the Saffir/Simpson Scale/5 being the highest rating) is barely moving.

2. A hurricane warning remains in effect for the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. A hurricane warning is also in effect for Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Saba, St Barthelemy, St Eustatius, St Kitts and Nevis, St Maarten/ St Martin.

3. At 15.00 GMT, the eye of Hurricane Lenny was located near latitude 17.8 North and longitude 63.6 West (roughly 35 miles/60 km west/southwest of St. Maarten).

4. Maximum sustained winds are near 135 mph/215 kmh with higher gusts.

5. The United Nations Resident Coordinator/Barbados and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) have met with the Eastern Caribbean Donor Group to endorse a CDERA contingency plan to respond to any major impact in the Caribbean: (a) a reconnaissance team (CDERA, PAHO, UNDPO and Regional Security System) is ready to be deployed as soon as weather permits; (b) this first team would most likely be followed by a rapid needs assessment team; (c) CDERA has made arrangement with airline LIAT to transport relief personnel to impacted areas; (d) the Caribbean Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU) is on stand-by.

6. The Government of the Netherlands has sent an assessment team to St Maarten. The Federal Emergency Management Agency of the United States has deployed elements of emergency response teams to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

7. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies is available on the OCHA Internet Website at: http://www.reliefweb.int

Telephone number: + 41-22-917-1234
In case of emergency only: + 41 22 917 2010

Desk Officers: Mr. Erik Haegglund, direct tel: + 41-22-917-3299

Contact person for the media: Ms. Elena Ponomareva, direct tel:+41-22-917-2336

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Fax: + 41 22 917 0023
E-mail: ochagva@un.org