* * * FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN PARISHES * * *

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, January 16, 2011 – 5:00 p.m.

The Meteorological Service has continued the Flash Flood Warning for the low-lying and flood-prone areas of northeastern parishes including St. Mary and Portland, until 5:00 p.m. tomorrow.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING means flooding has been reported or will occur shortly.  Motorists and pedestrians should not attempt to cross flooded roadways or other low-lying areas as strong currents are likely.  Residents in low-lying areas should be on the alert for rising waters and be ready to move quickly to higher ground.

A Trough across Jamaica is expected to continue influencing the weather across the island today. Satellite imagery indicates cloudy conditions with light to moderate showers affecting northern parishes. Rainfall data gathered from automatic weather stations indicate showers have continued across northeastern parishes, for most of today.

The forecast is for periods of showers to continue, especially over northeastern parishes, tonight into tomorrow.

Fishers and other marine interests are advised to exercise caution, as gusty winds and rough seas are likely in the vicinity of showers and thunderstorms.

The Meteorological Service will continue to monitor the situation.            

Weather

Since late last week, the weather has been rather pleasant. A High Pressure Ridge continues to dominate the weather in the Central Caribbean, providing sunny skies and a sea breeze from the east  at around 11 mph  or  18 km/h. The daily highs have been around 84 deg  F / 29 deg C  and lows around 70 deg F / 21 deg C.

Forecast

 This weather pattern will continue through at least the next week, the exception being on Saturday into Sunday when a cold front currently over South Florida moves into the Jamaica area bring cloudy conditions and a chance of showers otherwise ,the weather should be lovely.

Happening in Jamaica

January 16-18, the city (Montego Bay) will host the Caribbean Marketplace. Caribbean Marketplace is the premier marketing event of the Caribbean hospitality industry; it encompasses two days of business meetings that match buyers and suppliers through a computerized program of appointments. This is a big event ,  and the first event  for the new  Montego Bay Conference Center. On the nation level, the government is considering making driving and talking or texting on a cellphone without a hand free device illegal and murder fell by 15% last year.

Early Morning Rain

Montego Bay had some light to moderate rain showers early Tuesday morning, around 1 am. The rain tapered off at 1:15 am. My rain gauge showing 10mm or 0.39in.  A quick look at Doppler radar indicates light to moderate showers also affecting coastal areas of Southern Parishes with a fairly organized rain band moving across the area. If the band holds we on the North coast, will have more rain in a few.

Background

A broad area of Low Pressure is currently south of Jamaica, over the southwestern Caribbean Sea. Satellite imagery indicates that the cloudiness and thunderstorms associated with this system remain disorganized. The area of Low Pressure is projected to move toward the west northwest and showers and thunderstorms associated with the system could affect sections of southern parishes Tuesday and Wednesday. Sea conditions south of the island will deteriorate in the vicinity of showers and thunderstorms. Courtesy Met service Jamaica.

This hurricanes season is not yet over and we should continue to monitor the Gulf, Western and Caribbean for tropical development. In fact, several models are hinting   Virginie could develop in the Caribbean Sea during next week.

For now, the weather in Jamaica is really pleasant, sunny with only a few cirrus clouds and a cool sea breeze. Similar weather forecast for the week with daily high temperatures at 86 deg F / 30 deg C, Lows at 74  deg F / 23 deg C

with a sea breeze between 10-15 mph.

Minister with Responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon Daryl Vaz (centre), provides the media with a post-event report on Hurricane Tomas, at a press conference hosted by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) after the passage of Hurricane Tomas, on November 5. Seated beside him are Director General of the ODPEM, Ronald Jackson (left), and Director of the Meteorological Service, Sylvia McGill.

Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon Daryl Vaz, has warned Jamaicans against letting down their guard in the future, after being spared the full onslaught of Hurricane Tomas Friday (November 5).

"To those who might have felt that all they did was in vain, I would say to those skeptics, it is better to be safe than sorry," he told a press conference at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Friday.

He emphasised that threats of storms or hurricanes must be taken seriously, and commended the various emergency response agencies, saying this was the "best prepared" the country has been, in terms of being proactive in protecting lives and property.

ODPEM began phasing down its Emergency Operation Centre, following the lifting of Tropical Storm Warnings by the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, at 11 a.m. Friday.

Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Ronald Jackson, and Director of Emergency Disaster Management and Special Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse, consult during a press conference at ODPEM's office in the aftermath of Hurricane Tomas, Friday (November 5).

Director General of ODPEM, Ronald Jackson, said the agency would carry out a final assessment of the shelters which are still open.

ODPEM reported that up to 106 persons in six parishes had reported to shelters, 53 of them from Kingston and St. Andrew. Mr. Jackson predicted that most persons would be returning home Friday, with the exception of a shelter in Llandewey, St. Thomas where they are waiting on the rivers to recede. He anticipated that the buildings being used as shelters could be returned to the churches and schools, by the end of the day.

He said he had not received any adverse reports regarding damage to homes or public infrastructure, except for a report of roof damage to one house in Winchester, St. Thomas.

Mr. Jackson said ODPEM is encouraged by the response of persons to calls for evacuation. He said that residents in vulnerable communities have become more receptive to calls to evacuate to emergency shelters.

"We've been able to look at the issue of security as part and parcel of our readiness. That is creating a greater confidence level. We intend to build on that, and to look at how we can enhance security arrangements around communities that are to be evacuated, and shelters that are being evacuated," he added.

Mr. Jackson said ODPEM was now focused on replenishing its stocks as quickly as possible, and on ensuring readiness for the rest of the hurricane season.

Courtesy JIS

It was a regular Tuesday in Montego Bay and Western Jamaica. There were persons going to school, work and conducting business in the city. There was not much in the way of hurricane preparedness shopping, especially in this harsh economic climate, no-one wants to risk spending on a non-threatening situation. The duty forecaster at the met service mentioned on nationwide radio that Western Jamaica would see only 25mph winds and 1-2 inches of  rain.

The skies were became  interesting this afternoon, aside from the usual low level cumulus clouds and patches of circus, there were altocumulus (semitransparent) which are water and ice clouds and indicate some precipitation possible within 15 to 20 hours if wind is steady NE to S . Whenever we see this cloud type in Montego Bay, It is usually one of the first signs, a cold front or a hurricane is in the vicinity.

 In Eastern Jamaica, It was a day of preparation especially for local officials. The met office forecast( as heard on nationwide radio) is for  Tomas to move as close   100miles off the Eastern tip of the Island with  50-70mph gusts  , heavy rainfall and storm surges along the coast of up to 13ft possible .

We must bear in mind Eastern Jamaica is very mountainous between (5000-7000ft) which creates unique challenges for example    when the rest of Jamaica gets 2-4inches of rain, they get up to 20inches of rain, when the rest of Jamaica gets tropical storm conditions, they experience hurricane conditions due to their elevation.

There was a rush by the national water commission to restore water systems , some of which were down as a result of the heavy rain from Nicole. This would assist persons would be able to store the recommended 7 days of drinking water. Local government and parish councils rushed to have drains, fording and gullies cleared to accommodate the expected rainfall. Fishers were urged to evacuated   the Keys and bank and begin preparation for safe harbor.  

The executive director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority, Joan Gordon Webley confirmed that the agency had 30 chain saw crews, which were deployed across the island and that they would be addressing priority needs. On a personal preparedness level, the Odpem urged persons who have tall trees on their properties to prune them and  a hotline is being setup  to enable people to seek assistance, including for the pruning of trees, and  to enable them to withstand the effects of the weather system.  Two persons died in Tropical storm Nicole because of large branches or trees falling

Each time hurricane or flooding situation threatens, as was said on radio, officials can “close their eyes and tell say exactly the areas where flooding, landslides or other life threatening event will take place, because It is like a scratch recorder happens every year or even several times a year . Each time, they tell the people in these areas to evacuate, they refuse and previously they are left alone. If one where to look at the deaths associated with hurricanes in Jamaica, the majority were persons who refused to evacuate. Persons who refuse to evacuate, will now be forced to do so with the assistance of the police and fire brigade.

The ODPEM will host a press conference tomorrow morning at scheduled for 10 o'clock at its offices. The meeting will discuss the various evacuation procedures and opening of emergency management shelters for persons living in vulnerable areas. The agency said it will also highlight the various methods and strategies that will be implemented for persons who will need to evacuate from their homes in the event the weather conditions become severe. Representatives from the Meteorological Service, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company and the Jamaica Red Cross will also be participating in the conference. A decision will aslo be made if schools will be kept on Thursday.

Websites to follow

Latest bulletin from metservice

http://www.metservice.gov.jm/news.asp

Latest Doppler radar from metservice

http://www.metservice.gov.jm/radarpage1.asp

Nationwide radio( live coverage throughout the day)

http://www.telegens.com/nationwideradiojm/

radio Jamaica ( hourly newscast)

http://rjr94fm.com/AUDIO-STREAMING/popupPlayer94FM.html

Tvj newscasts

http://rjrnewsonline.com/media-center

Dr. Jeff Masters Wunderground

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/

Rob and Meg Lightbown Crowntropical weather

http://www.crownweather.com/?page_id=325 

Mark Suduth Hurricane Track

http://www.hurricanetrack.com/ 

Hurricanecity video blog

http://www.youtube.com/user/hurricanecitydotcom

SMS storm alerts for Jamaica

source Jamaica Observer

THE island's three mobile networks will issue SMS text message alerts during the passage of Tropical Storm Tomas.The announcement was made by information minister Daryl Vaz during a press briefing at Jamaica House this morning.

Vaz said the government had an existing arrangement with Digicel, Lime and Claro two years ago.

“I have also given instructions, coming out of that meeting, to the Director General of ODPEM to have a meeting today with the mobile phone companies with a view of using the SMS, or the text system, which a protocol was established some two years ago and it needs to be effected immediately, where users of cellular phones, which is, as we know, the highest probably anywhere in this region, can get well needed information and also advice in relation to what should be done prior, during and after such an event may occur," Vaz said.

Discussion from met service bulletin #6 

Satellite imagery indicates that Tropical Storm Tomas has become poorly organized as it battles hostile atmospheric conditions.  These are expected to become more conducive to the storm’s development by Wednesday, allowing it to re-strengthen.  The forecast is for Tomas to turn and move towards and across Haiti on Thursday and Friday, passing some distance to the east of Jamaica.

Jamaica should, however, be impacted by the outer bands of a stronger Tomas on Thursday and Friday as it passes some distance east of the island.  Periods of heavy rainfall and strong, gusty winds could be experienced, mainly over eastern parishes and eastern waters.  Above-normal wave heights should also be expected over inshore and offshore areas of the northern and southeastern coasts.

Fishers on the cays and banks are advised to evacuate immediately and start returning to the mainland.  Other small craft operators in our coastal waters are advised to return to port and small craft operators who are in port are advised not to venture out.

The Meteorological Service continues to monitor the progress of this system, and all interests should pay special attention to further Releases. 

Fair weather conditions persist across Jamaica, as it has been for the past week and a half. Each day, we have seen sunny skies and partly cloudy afternoons with highs daily  at 86 deg F /30 deg C and light sea breezes from the NE at 10mph .Nice weather especially for the holiday vacationers. Jamaicans continues to closely monitor, now weakened Tropical Storm Tomas. Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding, has called a special meeting of the country's emergency relief agencies for this morning ( Monday  Nov. 1) at 9:00am , amidst forecasts that then hurricane Tomas could produce heavy rainfall and gusty winds ,especially over Eastern Parishes on Friday.

 We should get let our guards down because Tomas has weakened and the forecast now has it hitting. Haiti. We should continue to be vigilante especially with restrengthening forecast and what is now appearing to be a shift west in some of the computer guidance which would put Tomas closer to the Eastern end of the Island.

Check out the following websites foe expert analysis on the future track of Tomas

Dr. Jeff Masters Wunderground

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/

Rob and Meg Lightbown Crowntropical weather

http://www.crownweather.com/?page_id=325

Mark Suduth Hurricane Track

http://www.hurricanetrack.com/

Hurricanecity video blog

http://www.youtube.com/user/hurricanecitydotcom

A High Pressure ridge continues to dominate the weather in the region, bringing fair weather across Jamaica. There is barely any cloud in the sky in the morning, the humidity at 6am at 74%, not hot and sticky as it can get. There is a nice sea breeze from the East adding to the comfort level. The fair weather continues for the next 5 days. Your welcome Diane, from the Belize thread. We are so happy; there were no casualties from Richard. There is so much we can learn from Belize experience with Richard, especially seen were we may be faced with a similar situation next week Wednesday.The article below is courtesy of the Jamaica Information Service

Last Thursday, we were advised by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) of laboratory confirmation of cases of cholera in the Artibonite province in Haiti. As of last Saturday, the Ministry of Health in Haiti reported 3,015 cases of cholera resulting in 253 deaths. Cases have been reported in other areas such as Port au Prince, the Ouest and Central Departments. PAHO has been assisting the Ministry of Health in Haiti to assess the situation and take appropriate action to cauterize the outbreak and save lives.

Cholera is an infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are the sudden onset of profuse watery diarrhea of up to 1 litre per hour, vomiting, abdominal pain, rapid increase in heart rate, dry skin and, sometimes, fever. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Transmission is primarily through contaminated drinking water or food. The severity of the diarrhea and vomiting can lead to rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance and can result in death within hours if left untreated.

Effective control measures rely on prevention, preparedness and response. The provision of safe water and proper sanitation is critical in reducing the risk and impact of cholera and other water borne diseases. Cholera can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration salts. Very severely dehydrated patients require administration of intravenous fluids and appropriate antibiotics to diminish the duration of diarrhea, reduce the volume of rehydration fluids needed and shorten the duration of V. Cholera excretion. Mass administration of antibiotics is not recommended as it has no effect on the spread of cholera and contributes to increasing antimicrobial resistance.

Jamaica has not experienced cholera in more than 150 years. The last outbreak of Cholera in Jamaica was in 1852. 32,000 people or 10% of the population died from the disease. In 1991 and 1992, Jamaica was placed on high alert due to an outbreak of Cholera in Peru. At that time, the Ministry of Health prepared the Cholera Prevention Plan (1991), trained health workers, and placed emphasis on surveillance mechanisms and public education.

Given our proximity to Haiti and the interaction of people from both countries, the Government has activated its National Emergency Response mechanism with the Ministry of Health as the lead agency. Last Friday, the Ministry of Health activated its National Emergency Operations Centre, reviewed the Cholera Prevention Plan of 1991 and devised an Action Plan. Island wide surveillance and monitoring activities have been scaled up as a prevention and preparedness measure in keeping with the Prevention Plan. There are currently no reported cases of Cholera in Jamaica.

Over the last few days, the Ministry of Health has been collaborating with other critical agencies to coordinate the country's response and preparedness measures. Yesterday, I convened a meeting with all relevant public sector entities to review ongoing precautionary measures and coordinate the next steps. The emphasis at this time is on Heightened Surveillance and Public Education.

All health facilities have been placed on alert. At the national level, training of senior staff is underway on the clinical identification, treatment and management of Cholera and printed materials have already been dispatched to health facilities. Similar training of community health workers will be conducted by the end of this week. Oral rehydration fluids are available at health facilities and adequate levels of stock are being maintained. Additional stock is on order for intravenous fluids to supply our health facilities. Laboratory testing will be done locally and support is in place through the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) which is also supplying additional reagents for testing.

Approximately 80% of cholera cases can be successfully treated by the use of oral rehydration salts/fluids. The public must be alerted to the heightened need at this time to observe good hygiene practices:

• Regular washing of hands especially before preparing and ingesting food and after toilet functions;
  
• Applying a few drops of bleach to water used for domestic purposes;
  
• Boiling water for drinking or drinking purified bottled water;
  
• Ensuring that food is cooked thoroughly before eating;
  
• Avoiding contact with water that may be contaminated.
  

At the first sign of symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting, it is important to drink lots of clean, safe water (coconut water is highly recommended) to prevent dehydration. Persons experiencing any such symptom should seek medical attention immediately. Public hospitals and clinics are on alert to treat all such cases with urgency. The chances of recovery are significantly higher if cases are detected at an early stage.

Precautionary screening measures and inspections are being implemented at all our borders using public health officials in collaboration with immigration officials and in keeping with international standards. Airport surveillance for arriving passengers has been intensified and adequate medical personnel will be stationed at our airports to detect and respond to potential or apparent cases of infection. Vessels arriving in Jamaica which may have called at ports in Haiti will be boarded by quarantine officers and thoroughly checked before being allowed to berth. Additional quarantine staff is being deployed to ensure speedy processing. The Port Authority of Jamaica is holding discussions with cruise lines whose ships include Haiti in their itinerary on the appropriate measures being employed to prevent any transmission of this dreaded disease. Coast Guard patrols have been increased to ramp up surveillance of small craft which ply between Jamaica and Haiti. Close monitoring by the Police and Military is also being undertaken at specific beaches used by small craft travelling from Haiti. Heightened surveillance is also being undertaken by JDF personnel stationed at the Pedro Cays where fisher folk interact from time to time with persons from Haiti.

A public education campaign has commenced in earnest with public service announcements to sensitize the public on the preventive and precautionary measures that must be taken at this time. Cholera specific public education messages and features will be aired tomorrow and targeted public education activities will start early next week.

The Government is naturally concerned to ensure that this necessary state of alert does not negatively impact tourist arrivals. I therefore wish to restate that there are no reported cases of cholera in Jamaica and the measures we are taking are designed to ensure that Jamaica continues to be free of cholera. The Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority is taking steps to secure the assistance of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to conduct inspections of our airports to reassure our tourism partners of our pro-activeness and surveillance practices. The Jamaica Tourist Board is in constant touch with our marketing personnel, tour operators, travel agents and other key operatives to keep them informed of the steps we are taking to ensure that Jamaica remains a safe and healthy destination.

The steps that must be taken to keep Jamaica cholera-free involve concerted action not just by the Government but, also, by every citizen of Jamaica. We must all ensure that we practice good hygiene, wash our hands with soap regularly, drink only boiled water or bottled water, cook our food thoroughly and avoid, as far as possible, contact with water that may be contaminated. We should take special care to ensure that our children do not play in dirty or stagnant water or swim in rivers since cholera is essentially a water-borne disease. Importantly, we should seek medical attention at the first sign of diarrhea or vomiting.

While we must do everything possible to keep Jamaica free of cholera, we cannot ignore the plight of the Haitian people who now face a new crisis even as they struggle to recover from the effects of the January earthquake. I have instructed the Ministry of Health to assemble a team of medical personnel to be available, if the Haitian Government so requires, to go to Haiti to assist in the control and treatment of this disease.

Source http://belizean.com/news/belize-rebuilds-after-hurricane-richard/

Life is slowly returning to normal in Belize after Category One Hurricane Richard slammed into the lightly populated central region of the country Sunday night October 24 leaving behind damage to infrastructure and agriculture, a total collapse of the electrical grid but no loss of life.

The eye of Hurricane Richard made landfall approximately 10 miles south of the capital Belmopan, population 20,000 Sunday evening. It ripped off the roofs of dozens of homes on the coast, from Belize City to the north, down to Dangriga in the south, and destroyed hundreds of plywood and tin roof shacks used by the poor – mostly in Belize City and nearby villages. Some 4,000 people huddled in hurricane shelters during the storm that brought 92 mile per hour winds and torrential rains, and today Tuesday a couple thousand remain there as their homes are gone or uninhabitable. Most Belizeans weathered the storm in darkness as the country’s entire electrical grid collapsed. Belize purchases electrical power from Mexico and generates its own from two hydro plants but the damage to transmission lines was substantial. The seat of government, Belmopan, built 50 miles inland 29 years ago following a devastating hurricane that partly destroyed coastal Belize City, was also plunged into darkness. The Belize government had decided a couple of years ago to decommission the capital’s diesel generating backup station and rely solely on the national grid.

The Belize government has announced an estimated damage of U.S. $18. million from hurricane Richard – not counting the disruption to business and the productive sector due to the collapse of the electrical grid, which also led to no water being available as the government owned water company does not have backup generators to power its pumping stations. Prime Minister Barrow vowed to make all efforts to find the money to rebuild the damage done by the hurricane.

By Tuesday morning approximately 70 percent of the country had electricity restored and the privately owned Belize Electricity Limited was projecting to have the entire grid restored by nightfall. All schools in the Belize, Cayo and Stann Creek districts are closed and will reopen on Wednesday. Many schools serve a dual role as hurricane shelters. Internet service and cable television are still disrupted due to downed lines and utility poles. The country’s international airport near Belize City is now reopened and flight schedules are normal. Additional flights are being put in to retrieve passengers who ended up in other countries, for example El Salvador, when flights had to be diverted on Monday in the aftermath of the hurricane.

At a press conference organised by Prime Minister Dean Barrow in Belmopan yesterday evening it was revealed that about 30% of Belize’s orange crop has been lost. One reporter described walking a citrus orchard in the Stann Creek Valley: “The entire orchard was covered with an emerald carpet of thousands upon thousands of young and immature orange fruit ripped from the trees by the hurricane winds.”

The largest citrus processing company in Belize is starting processing operations ahead of schedule today to do sampling tests and attempt to recover some of the crop on the ground.

Despite the misery endured by Belizeans during the hurricane, the event was not without its lighthearted and interesting moments.

Some motorists and tourists on the Northern Highway near Belize City (and thousands watching on television) were startled to see crocodiles and boa constrictors crossing the highway as it began to flood.

In San Victor, a village in the Orange Walk district, a shelter warden opened his shelter early. But then got drunk and accidentally
locked himself inside the shelter. Being unable to find the keys in the darkness, he rode out the storm by himself while villagers
had to flee to another shelter.

And in Belmopan, the government’s post storm press conference at the the National Emergency Management Organization was cut short when the building’s backup generator failed during a long-winded intervention by a local politician.

It is a sunny morning in the Montego Bay area; great weather week forecast for Jamaica Pleasant with lots of sun .We turn our attention to our Caricom neighbors Belize. Hurricane Richard mad landfall as a 90mph hurricane 20 N miles SSW of Belize City at 7:45 CDT. The strongest winds were confined to a small area about  30 mi radius , which remind south of Belize City, but affect Belmopan and Central Belize. Preliminary no deaths directly associated with Richard, but extensive damage  in Central Belize especially in Dangriga and surrounding areas. Belize is in damage assessment mode this morning.

Love tv from Belize is streaming live on the internet and showing the video of the damage

Visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/love-tv-s-evening-news