Some Barbadian students at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies are making their way home ahead of the anticipated passage of a dangerous storm that could strengthen into a major hurricane by the weekend.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kerrie Symmonds yesterday confirmed that arrangements were made to transport the students home.
Speaking to the Saturday Sun yesterday at 12:50 p.m., Symmonds said he reached out to the Barbados Students’ Association in Jamaica as soon as the seriousness of Tropical Storm Melissa became clear.
“I have put arrangements in place for them to try to get to the airport as swiftly as possible. I believe that the plane should actually be being boarded right now. There is a final flight out before the airport closes, as I understand it. It is on Caribbean Airlines and that will bring them to Trinidad and we’ve just concluded arrangements with InterCaribbean to have them move from Port of Spain to Barbados tonight [last night].”
Symmonds said the ministry moved quickly after learning that airline operations in Jamaica were being suspended ahead of worsening weather conditions.
“We did so today [yesterday], because I became aware of the seriousness of the storm last night. They told me that we needed to move quickly because Caribbean Airlines was closing its services during the course of today.”
He added that 26 students had taken up the offer to leave, though not all had reached the airport by the time he last checked.
“My concern is that when I checked with the airport maybe about a half hour ago, all 26 had not yet arrived. I don’t know how many have finally decided whether they shelter in place or whether they go out,” he said.
For those who opted to stay, Symmonds said Barbados’ honorary consul in Jamaica, Winston Daley, remains in close contact with the students and the Barbados Students’ Association to ensure their safety.
“The only plan we can have for them is to urge them to shelter in place, because obviously it is really not possible from here to do much else,” he said. “Most of them have what seem to be satisfactory arrangements in place, but some were distinctly uncomfortable, especially with projections that the storm could get to the magnitude of maybe a Category 4 or 5.”
He said parents in Barbados were also anxious, especially those whose children only recently started the semester.
“I know some parents will be a bit jittery with their children back there,” the minister said.
According to The Jamaica Gleaner, the Jamaican government has ramped up its disaster preparations as Tropical Storm Melissa moves slowly across the Caribbean Sea, located south-southeast of the island. The storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by this weekend, bringing heavy rain and possible significant flooding.
Jamaica is currently under a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch, with forecasters warning that tropical storm conditions could impact the island within 36 hours and hurricane conditions within 48.
The country’s Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said public hospitals had entered emergency mode, suspending outpatient services and elective surgeries to free up space for potential emergencies. Visitor restrictions were also put in place.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Public Service has activated its storm response system. Company president and chief executive officer Hugh Grant said 60 additional line workers were brought in from regional partners, warning that “the lights are going to go out” due to saturated ground and forecast winds of over 50 miles per hour.
The National Water Commission has also secured critical infrastructure and lifted water restrictions, advising residents to store at least three days’ worth of water.
Energy Minister in Jamaica Daryl Vaz said both major telecommunications providers, Digicel and FLOW, were prepared for potential disruptions. He confirmed that the country’s international airports would close once a hurricane warning was issued.
According to Cana News, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) warned of the potential for catastrophic flooding and landslides, particularly in Haiti and Jamaica.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Centre said the storm could strengthen into a hurricane by today and a major hurricane by tomorrow, with life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides expected in parts of Hispaniola and Jamaica.
Melissa was located about 165 miles southsoutheast of Kingston, Jamaica yesterday, with maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour. CDEMA said 881 emergency shelters in Jamaica have been placed on standby.
In Haiti, one fatality was already reported in the Sud-Est region, with several areas experiencing flooding and landslides. (NS)
