DATE: TIME:

August 20, 2007 2 pm

 

 

 

EVENT:

Hurricane Dean

 

DATE OF EVENT:

August 20th 2007

 

SITUATION REPORT NO.:

10

 

NATURE OF EVENT

 

Hurricane Dean is no longer a threat to Jamaica at this time

Hurricane Dean is now a Dangerous Category Five hurricane and has made landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula. At 4:00 a.m. the center of Hurricane Dean was located inland near Latitude 18.7 degrees north and Longitude 87.8 west or about 55 kilometers east north east of Chetumal Mexico and about 315 kilometers east south east of Campeche Mexico.

 

Maximum sustained winds remain near 270 km/h, with higher gusts. Hurricane Dean is an extremely dangerous category five hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, and is expected to maintain hurricane strength for the next 24 hours.

 

Casualties

·         To date three persons have been confirmed dead as a result of Hurricane Dean.

 

 

CRITICAL FACILITIES

 

Roads and Infrastructure

NWA Report Summary

Total Number of roads affected      -           248

Parish council                                     -           12

A roads                                                -           60 (34 re-opened)

B roads                                                -           46 (26 re-opened)

C roads                                               -           130(89 re-opened to single Lane)

 

KMR - 10 blocked roads

-          1 Flooded

-          1 reduced to single Lane

Kingston

-          6 cleared (including Camp Rd and Harbour View to Airport)

       -    Airport to Port Royal (4 areas )

St. Andrew

-          14 Road sections (East Rural / Papine Gordon Town )

-          18 Cleared single Lane

-          1 Fully Cleared

St. Catherine

-          43 Blocked

-          8 single lane

-          2 cleared

 

Western Region

St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland, Hanover, Trelawny

-          8 Blocked roads

-          8 roads reduced to single lane traffic

NE Region

-          110 roads affected

-          39 fully blocked

 

 

Telecommunications

• Cellular communication remains down in sections of St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon and sections of Trelawny, and St. Thomas

Digicel

• Digicel continues to work on realigning antennas in affected parishes and refuel power generators.

 

Airports

• Both International Airports are now operational. Norman Manley International Airport is accessible.

 

Electricity

The JPS has given its commitment to restore electricity to most of its customers by the end of the week. Phased restoration has commenced, starting with essential services such as hospitals, airports etc. Restoration will continue today. Areas likely to be receive power supply today are:

1. Kingston & St. Andrew – West Kings House Road, New Kingston, essential services and customers within close vicinity of Children’s hospital, National Chest Hospital, University Hospital.
2. St. James – Rose Hall, Coral Gardens, Ironshore, Whitehouse, Flankers, Lilliput.
3. Hanover – Negril and surrounding areas
4. Trelawny – Falmouth, Duncans, and surrounding areas

 

As damage assessment continues, the company will be better able to give an indication of full restoration.

 

Water Supply

• All systems affected in varying degrees. Assessment teams are currently in the field ascertaining the level of damage. Several sections of the island are without normal water supply.

 

Health

The Ministry of Health through their Emergency Operations Centre continues to monitor the health sector across the island. There have been preliminary reports of damage to health facilities.

 

ACTIONS TAKEN

• EOC continues to be activated
• Resource and Needs list are constantly being compiled.
• Periodic parish updates to monitor shelter status
• Security and welfare functional groups developed plans of action for response.
• Initial Damage Assessment Team dispatched to conduct initial assessment of damage in critical areas such as Old Harbour Bay, Bull Bay, Portland Cottage etc
• An assessment of the impact of the hurricane on the environment is currently being undertaken by NEPA
• Several sectors are also undertaking assessment
• Rapid impact assessment report on aerial reconnaissance prepared
• Monitoring of shelters and feeding of shelterees
• Welfare assessment teams have been deployed
• Relief supplies have been sourced through Food for the Poor and private purchase
• Utility companies

 

ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN

• Further damage assessment
• Food drops to cut- off communities Westphalia, Hagley’s Gap, Penlyne Castle and Halls Delight
• Continued attempts to re-establish communication links with affected parishes
• Servicing of shelters with water by NWC
• Arrangement of relief distribution for affected communities in St. Thomas
• Arrange of  relief distribution for shelters

 

Shelter Updates

A total of 167 shelters are now opened across the island, housing some 3478 shelterees. These results represent figures gathered as at the time of collation of this report. (see appendix A for shelter list)