Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Coastal watches/warnings and five-day track forecast cone of Hurricane Dean as at 8:00 p.m. EDT yesterday. - Courtesy of the NOAA National Hurricane Center

Jamaica was yesterday put on hurricane watch, as Hurricane Dean strengthened to Category Four last night packing winds of up to a maximum 135 miles per hour.

It is expected to move over Jamaica some time tomorrow morning.

A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions pose a possible threat within 36 hours.

At 4:00 p.m. yesterday, the centre of Hurricane Dean was located about 415 kilometres south-south-east of Puerto Rico or close to 1,290 kilometres east-south-east of Morant Point.

It is expected that the island would begin to experience an increase in showers and gusty winds associated with the hurricane by this evening.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller yesterday summoned emergency personnel who are on leave to return to work and urged shelter managers to be on standby to open shelters.

Essential services

"All police, prison, fire officers and other members of the essential services who are on leave must now report to their respective organisations as part of the preparation to boost our security search and rescue capabilities if that becomes necessary," Mrs. Simpson Miller said at a press conference called immediately following a meeting with the National Disaster Committee.

"We would like to call on everyone to now begin to put in place all the necessary precautionary safety measures to protect life and property," the Prime Minister said.

She noted that all state agencies were prepared to deal with any possible occurrence.

"With the country in election mode, this is not the time to see green, orange or any colour. Rather let us bank together and unite in the face of the threat from Hurricane Dean," she noted.

Mrs. Simpson Miller said persons who are responsible for emergency shelters or have keys to shelters should be on standby to open these facilities should it be necessary. She also gave instructions for the National Arena to be opened to accommodate persons.

She also said that the Jamaica Urban Transport Company (JUTC) has made available 50 buses to evacuate residents to shelters.

Meanwhile, Ronald Jackson, director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), said the vulnerable eastern parishes of St. Thomas and Portland would be given careful attention.

According to Mr. Jackson, ODPEM is in discussion with the Jamaica Defence Force to assist with evacuation and search and rescue efforts in those areas. He also noted that emergency supplies have been moved to the eastern and southern end of the island, which could be cut off.

Groundline communication

He also noted that groundline communication has been put in place to ensure that ODPEM can communicate with persons in the vulnerable parts of the island.

Meanwhile, the Kingston Public and Victoria Jubilee hospitals yesterday started sending home patients who were non-critical and have cancelled outpatient clinic and elective surgeries scheduled for Monday.

The Ministry of Health also said effective immediately, there would be no admission for elective surgeries and only dire emergencies will be seen in the Accident and Emergency Department effective today.

Grace Allen-Young, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, has urged persons to ensure that they have sufficient medications and reminded pregnant women to stay close to a hospital.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM): www.odpem.org.jm