The Event
Tropical Depression #5 formed Sunday night July 10, 2005 and advisories were initiated by the National Hurricane Centre at 11 pm. At 5 am on July 11, 2005 the tropical depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Emily which slowly strengthened to become a strong tropical storm as it approached the Windward Islands on the afternoon of Wednesday July 13, 2005. Around 8:45 pm July 13, 2005 data from an United States reconnaissance aircraft taking measurements in the tropical storm found that Emily had become a very strong Category One Hurricane with sustained winds of 90 miles per hour. Another measurement at 8:15 am July 14, 200 found an 11 millibar drop in pressure this morning, indicating that further strengthening is underway, however, the plane did not report increased wind speeds.
The forecast track from initialization by tracking models on July 10, 2005 was for a gradual turn toward the west-northwest. Despite 11 advisories in the first three days to this effect, Emily stubbornly refused to turn but late Wednesday night July 13, 2005, a gradual turn started and has continued. The track brought the centre of Emily, then a Tropical Storm, about 125 miles south of Barbados, 90 miles northeast of Trinidad before passing over Grenada between 1 am and 2 am Thursday July 14, 2005 as a Category One Hurricane. The forecast track at 11:00 am Thursday July 14, 2005 is for Emily to pass south of Jamaica as a Category Three hurricane Saturday morning. Emily impacted Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.
The Impact (by country)
Barbados
No official information available
Tobago
1. About 40 per cent of population lost electricity;
2. One northern town is without communication and cut off;
3. Two homes reported damaged or destroyed;
4. Another 16 homes sustained roof damage;
5. Seven roads reported blocked by fallen trees or debris;
6. Landslides reported in Lanse Fourmi. There is still heavy wind and rain in the area. 9:00 am;
7. One family was evacuated;
8. The hotels are all in good shape and open for business;
9. Martinair, Excel, and British Airways flights are operating according to schedule today.
St Vincent and the Grenadines
1. Small number of homes sustained roof damage;
2. Shelters were opened and being utilized.
Grenada
1. State of emergency remains in effect with a curfew from 7 pm to 6 am. Police are on patrol;
2. Eighty buildings were identified as emergency shelters of which 45 were used to house 1,650 persons;
3. Communication remained intact with the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and all of its District Coordinators;
4. Communication was also maintained and flowed well between the EOC and the media and then to the public;
5. Hardest hit areas were in the parish of St Andrew's where houses in the villages of Seamoon, Pearls, Paradise, Marqui and Telescope were among those losing roofs;
6. A large number of houses in the northern parish of St. Patrick's were also damaged.
7. Many homes were destroyed in Petit Martinique and Carriacou;
8. The hospital in Carriacou lost part of its roof and patients were taken into another section of the building;
9. The roof of the operating theatre of the main hospital in Grenada suffered water damage but was remained intact;
10. Part of the roof of the Police station in Petit Martinique was blown off;
11. Two Homes for the elderly, the Caudrona and the Hillarion lost their roofs;
12. The roof of the Sauteurs police station was blown away;
13. The eastern town of Grenville and parts of the outskirts of St.George are flooded;
14. Teams from the districts are being dispatched into the communities to carry out rapid assessment of the damage;
15. The Grenada Coast Guard has been put on standby to take damage assessment teams to Carriacou and Petit Martinique;
16. The works ministry has quickly mobilized crews to be dispatched to affected areas to commence recovery efforts;
17. Relief distribution has started to key areas;
18. The Prime Minister is expected to address the nation later today;
The Response (local, regional, International as appropriate)
Based on the information in Grenada and discussions with the National Disaster Coordinator the Regional Response Mechanism is at a Level Two Response.
The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force is conducting a surveillance flight with Grenadian emergency personnel and the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell.
The Eastern Caribbean Donor Group (ECDG) met at United Nations House in Barbados at 10 am July 14, 2005 and was informed that Grenada has declared a Level Two Disaster which means they can cope largely using their own resources but would require some external assistance.
As a result there will be no need for the Rapid Needs Assessment Team.
Pan American Health Organisation advised that a team of medical persons would be accompanying the Trinidad and Tobago Reconnaissance Flight to assess the damage to the Carricaou Hospital.
Members at the ECDG indicated they were presently conducting their own assessments in the affected states where they ahd representative. This information be shared with the respective EOCs and with CDERA. Indications of immediate support available from these Agencies would also be communicated.
Pending the sharing of SITREPs later today and any changes in the level of response (2) required, the Group would be contact by email, teleconference this evening with a provision to meet sometime tomorrow if necessary.
SITREPs on Hurricane Emily impact will be issued as information becomes available. These will be circulated to all CDERA partners and a public version will be available at www.cdera.org/cunews/
Contact Details: The CDERA CU 24hr contact number is 246 425 0386