Jamaica under Hurricane Watch as Tropical Storm Melissa nears

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has upgraded the Tropical Storm Watch for the island to a Tropical Storm Warning, and a Hurricane Watch is now in effect as Tropical Storm Melissa drifts slowly across the central Caribbean Sea.

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At 4:00 a.m. Thursday, the center of Tropical Storm Melissa was located near latitude 15.0 degrees North, longitude 74.9 degrees West — about 353 kilometers (219 miles) south-southeast of Morant Point, or roughly 390 kilometers (240 miles) south-southeast of Kingston. The system is moving slowly westward at about 6 km/h (3 mph) with maximum sustained winds near 85 km/h (50 mph).

Forecasters say Melissa could strengthen into a hurricane by late Friday or over the weekend as it continues moving toward Jamaica. Tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rains are expected to begin affecting eastern and southern parishes later today, spreading across the island through the weekend. Marine interests have been warned to expect rough seas and are urged to remain in port.

“All small craft operators, including fishers from the cays and banks, should by now be in port and are urged to complete their necessary safety precautions without delay,” the Meteorological Service advised.

In response to the approaching storm, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) says all systems and personnel are fully activated.

Director General Richard Thompson said the agency has been monitoring the system since October 16 and has ramped up its preparedness activities.

“To date, we have carried out a number of activities in terms of our general preparation. The parish disaster coordinators, we placed them on standby from very early… from over the weekend, and we were having discussions then with the National Meteorological Service,” Thompson said.

He added that the National Emergency Operations Centre convened a planning meeting on Tuesday to assess the country’s state of readiness. The meeting included representatives from municipal corporations, parish disaster coordinators, the Jamaica Defence Force, Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Fire Brigade, and several non-governmental organizations including the Jamaica Red Cross, Salvation Army, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Food for the Poor, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“So, we got those presentations in terms of our state of readiness, looking at our infrastructure, looking at our humanitarian processes, and looking at our overall national response processes,” Thompson said, noting that disaster communication protocols are being checked to ensure emergency teams remain connected.

He also reminded citizens to stay alert and continue their own preparations. “The planning meetings will continue as we go into the weekend in order to ensure that we keep the country in a state of readiness, and we are putting in the necessary protocols that are needed to ensure that we are protecting our people,” he said.

The Meteorological Service continues to monitor the progress of Tropical Storm Melissa and will issue the next bulletin at 8:00 a.m.

For recorded updates, the public can dial 116 or visit www.metservice.gov.jm