Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
Spanish Town
SEVERAL RESIDENTS of Port Henderson in Portmore, St. Catherine, had to be evacuated to several shelters activated in Portmore yesterday as Hurricane Emily inched along the south coast of the island.
According to chairman of the disaster preparedness committee for the Portmore municipality, Anthony Wint, the residents were affected by rising seas along the Port Henderson Road. He said these residents were the same ones recovering from the passage of Hurricane Dennis a week ago.
RELOCATED
When The Sunday Gleaner visited shelters such as the Portmore Heart Academy, 10 persons had relocated there, while three adults and three children were being housed at the Gregory Park Primary School.
Reports from the disaster preparedness committee said that there were also evacuees in Hellshire who were being accommodated at the Ascot High School, Kensington Primary and other shelters. In all, there were 43 persons in shelters.
According to Mayor George Lee, this number was expected to increase as several persons who did not want to move, were heeding the warning of the municipality to move to safer ground.
The Sunday Gleaner also saw personnel from Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), the health department, the political directorate and the police, dealing with the situation at an emergency operating
centre housed at the Portmore municipal office.
