Jamaica Gleaner

'Ivan' forces many into shelters

By Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter

Up to early this morning, a number of Jamaicans had evacuated unsafe houses for public shelters.

One woman who identified herself as 'Miss Cherry' was one of some 25 persons at the public shelter at the National Arena in Kingston, in anticipation of a battering from the category four hurricane Ivan, that is expected to hit Jamaica tonight or early tomorrow.

Until the disaster strikes, Miss Cherry said she will be praying to the Lord to spare her and her extended family of 10, most of whom were sprawled out on cots in the arena last night.

"I will be up all night, I don't think I will be able to sleep," said Miss Cherry, watching her grandchildren. "I will stay up and pray and ask the Lord to guide us."
She added she had decided to move to the shelter as a precaution, as she had experienced hurricane Gilbert in 1988 and harsh memories.

"My house is not for this type of hurricane. I live in a board house and there is a gully running behind it, so because of that I take my family here," she explained.
Another woman, who called herself Claudette, was with her young daughter at the shelter. She too was wary of her house. "I just think the roof is going to take off," she told The Gleaner.

In the meantime, Red Cross personnel who were at the Shelter have reported that many persons in Port Royal and Portmore who were advised to evacuate their homes, have refused to leave.

"There have been buses in Portmore and Port Royal. We have been waiting but we aren't seeing anyone," said shelter manager Monica Harvey.