TROPICAL STORM Emily is maintaining its westward movement towards the central Caribbean area. However, the National Meteorological Centre said the storm is expected to pass just south of Jamaica.
The Met Service said the island is therefore expected to be affected by storm force winds and heavy rains if it maintains its current course. At 4:00 p.m. yesterday the centre of Emily was located about 205 kilometres south of Barbados, 220 kilometres eastsoutheast of Grenada and 1,900 kilometres east-southeast of Jamaica.
Yesterday, the island of Tobago began feeling the effects of Emily. The high winds and torrential rains brought on by the storm uprooted trees, disconnected powerlines and triggered landslides. This prompted the government to issue an advisory urging employers to send home workers early on the Trinidad mainland. Commercial activities were brought to a halt from very early as businesses closed their doors in preparation for the storm.
STATE OF EMERGENCY
In Grenada, the government has declared a state of emergency and has imposed a curfew as that country braced for the impact of the storm. Emily is expected to also affect the neighbouring islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia.
The tropical cyclone, the fifth since the start of the hurricane season, continues to travel westward near 30 kilometres per hour, two kilometres less than the day before, with wind speeds of 95 kilometres per hour and higher gusts. Emily is not expected to become a hurricane before passing the Windward Islands.
In the meantime, fishers and other small craft operators in Jamaica are being urged to pay special attention to subsequent advisories from the Met Service.
