The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has confirmed that four persons were killed as a result of injuries related to the passage of Hurricane Dean.

In a release yesterday, the disaster management agency gave the official death toll in the wake of the hurricane, which lashed the island three days earlier.

Aerial reconnaissances

ODPEM said that, within 12 hours of the impact of Hurricane Dean, two rapid aerial reconnaissances were undertaken primarily along the southern parishes of the island.

"These flights covered the parishes of St. Catherine to Westmoreland and Kingston & St. Andrew to Portland and St. Mary," the ODPEM said. "From the aerial reconnaissance five areas have been identified as being severely damaged."

Those areas are Portland Cottage and Rocky Point in Clarendon; Old Harbour Bay in St Catherine; as well as Caribbean Terrace and Bull Bay in Kingston & St. Andrew.

An initial assessment revealed that, in the above communities, just fewer than 1,600 houses sustained level one to level four damage (minor damage to destroyed). The majority of the damage was concentrated in Clarendon, which recorded 56 per cent of the damage, followed by St. Catherine and Kingston and St. Andrew with 30 per cent and 14 per cent,respectively.

"Generally, observation of overall damage in these areas was restricted to fallen trees, fallen utility poles and utility lines and lack of water supply," the ODPEM said. "The assessment process is ongoing and the figures are expected to increase as data becomes available."

Actions to be taken

The ODPEM said it had identified actions to be taken, including continuation of damage assessment activities; food drops to cut-off communities of Westphalia, Hagley Gap, Penlyne Castle and Halls Delight; continued attempts to re-establish communication links with affected parishes; servicing ofshelters with water by NWC; arrangement of relief distribution for affected communities in St. Thomas; relief distribution for shelters which remain open; and the establishing of water distribution stations in affected communities.

Confirmed deaths

In St. Andrew, a 34-year-old male was electrocuted while trimming tree limbs.

In Clarendon, a 44-year-old farmer was found dead in the ruins of his home.

In St. Thomas, a 15-year-old female was critically injured by concrete block, which fell through her roof.

In St. Elizabeth, a 48-year-old female succumbed to injuries received from flying debris.