EVENT: Hurricane Dean
DATE: August 19, 2007
TIME: 6:00 am
DATE OF EVENT: August 18th 2007
NATURE OF EVENT
The Meteorological Service has maintained the HURRICANE WARNING for Jamaica as Hurricane Dean continues towards the island while moving south of Haiti. This means that dangerous effects of a hurricane are still expected to affect Jamaica within 24 hours.
At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Hurricane Dean was located near Latitude 16.6 degrees North, Longitude 73.4 degrees West. This is about 250 km (155 miles) south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, or 330 km (205 miles) east-southeast of Morant Point, Jamaica.
Dean is moving towards the west-northwest near 30 km/h (18 mph) and this general motion is expected to continue during the next 24 hours.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 230 km/h (145 mph), with higher gusts, making Dean a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Fluctuations in strength are likely to occur today. Hurricane force winds extend outward approximately 95 km (60 miles), while tropical storm force winds extend 335 km (205 miles) from the centre.
Satellite imagery indicates that spiral bands associated with the hurricane should shortly begin to spread across the island, starting with eastern parishes. Residents can expect increasing rainfall this morning along with gusty winds rapidly reaching tropical-storm strength. Severe flash-flooding and landslides are likely to occur across the country.
Based on the current official forecast track, the eye of Hurricane Dean is expected to begin moving over the waters just south of Jamaica early this afternoon and then follow a path adjacent to the coastline throughout the rest of the day. During this period, hurricane-force winds are likely to be experienced by most of the island, generating dangerous storm surges and battering waves along coastal areas of mainly southern parishes.
ACTIONS TAKEN
- EOC maintained activation status throughout the night.
- The Media (local and international) is constantly being updated.
- The JUTC buses which were deployed to Bull Bay, Port Royal, Nightingale Grove and sections of Portmore to undertake mandatory evacuation were withdrawn at midnight. The communities did not respond to the call to evacuate.
- A Resource List and Needs list are being compiled
ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN
- Continued monitoring of situation positioning of resources and preparation for response.
- Public transport busses have been redeployed to vulnerable areas to facilitate a final evacuation effort before the effects of the Hurricane.
SHELTERS
A total of 382 persons are currently occupying shelters which are opened in 6 parishes island wide. See map and list of shelters below.
CRITICAL SECTORS
There is no further information from the critical sectors.
Table Showing Shelters Opened Across the Island
| Emergency Shelter | Number of Persons |
| Askenish All Age |
1
|
| Hillsbrook All Age | |
| Mile Gully Primary | |
| Edith Dalton James High / Secondary | |
| National Arena Centre |
6
|
| Freindship Brook All Age Sch |
12
|
| Morant Bay Primary School |
15
|
| Paul Bogle Junior High School |
33
|
| Spring Garden Primary |
12
|
| St. Thomas Technical High School |
16
|
| Duckenfield Primary School |
17
|
| GRANTS PEN PRIMARY and Infant |
10
|
| Seaforth Primary |
24
|
| Trinityville Primary |
10
|
| Font Hill Primary |
13
|
| Marcus Garvey Technical |
105
|
| PEMBROKE HALL HIGH SCHOOL | |
| SEAFORTH HIGH SCHOOL |
19
|
| G C FOSTER COLLEGE | |
| OLD HARBOUR HIGH SCHOOL |
8
|
| HAGUE PRIMARY SCHOOL | |
| SALT MARSH ALL AGE | |
| HOLLAND HIGH | |
| LUCEA CATHOLIC CHURCH |
50
|
| YALLAHS BAPTIST CHURCH |
31
|
| TOTAL |
382
|