Gustav moves across Jamaica
Advisory #4
The Event: Gustav is pouring heavy rains on Jamaica as a Hurricane Warning remains in effect. At 5:00pm EDT today (August 28), the centre of Tropical Storm Gustav was located near Latitude 18.1 North, Longitude 76.6 West, or about 15 miles (25 kilometers) east northeast of Kingston, Jamaica or about 310 miles (505 kilometres) east southeast of Grand Cayman.
Prognosis: Gustav is moving toward the west at about 6 mp/h (9km/h) and is expected to turn west northwest and northwest during the next couple of days. On this path the centre of the system will cross Jamaica tonight and move near or over the Cayman Islands Friday or Friday night.
Maximum sustained winds are at about 70 mp/h (110 km/h) with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outwards up to 45 miles (75 km/h) from the centre. Some weakening is possible as Gustav crosses Jamaica, however the system is expected to strengthen on Friday and Saturday and could become a hurricane by tomorrow. Coastal storm surge of between 1 and 3 feet above normal tide levels can be expected along southern parishes.
Gustav is expected to produce rainfall of between 6 to 12 inches across Jamaica, with isolated maximum amounts of up to 25 inches. Flash flooding and landslides are likely in vulnerable areas.
National Response:
At 3pm today, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Jamaica advised that evacuations have been carried out in some vulnerable areas (please see attached for details).
The New Castle main road is impassable. Wind damage has been reported in Happy Grove and Grange Hill in Portland. Storm surge has been reported in Long Bay in the parish.
140 Emergency shelters have been identified across the island and prepared for activation and shelter managers have been placed on standby. So far, 700 persons are reported to be in shelters.
Parish Emergency Operations Centre (PEOC) have been activated
Emergency and relief supplies have been pre-positioned and deployed to regional stores to the North, West and Southern regions
The following pre-impact needs list has been developed.
| Description of Goods |
QTY in Stock |
QTY Required |
| Tarpaulins |
1200 |
8800 |
| Blankets |
2500 |
5500 |
| Water Containers |
3000 |
7000 |
| Sleeping cots |
3200 |
6800 |
| Hygiene Kit- Family |
---- |
4000 |
| Generator |
25 |
25 |
| Lanterns- Battery |
1200 |
1800 |
| Flashlights |
300 |
650 |
| Foam Pads |
1500 |
3500 |
| Plastic Sheeting (rolls) |
300 |
200 |
| Quick Erect Shelter |
--- |
3 |
Regional Response: The Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) remains on standby and continues to monitor.
Other emergency support personnel also remain on standby to support Jamaica and other territories should this become necessary.
The CDERA CU and Belize continue to monitor Tropical Storm Gustav with regard to any potential impacts.
In addition to TS Gustav CDERA CU continues to the monitor two tropical waves and Tropical Storm Hanna.
TS Hanna
At 5:00pm today (Aug 28), the centre of tropical storm Hanna was located near Latitude 20.7 north, longitude 60 west, or about 260 miles (420 kilometres) northeast or the Northern Leeward Islands.
Hanna is moving toward the west-northwest at about 12 mp/h (19 km/h) and is expected to turn to the northwest later today. On this track Hanna is expected to move away from the Northern Leeward Islands and be centered to the North East of the Bahamas within a few days.
As a contingency, CDERA CU has contacted the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas who also continue to monitor the development of the system.
The CDERA CU is requesting Participating States in the Leeward and Windward islands to continue monitoring these systems closely and advance any readiness actions as it becomes necessary.
Next Advisory: CDERA will continue to monitor the situation and provide advisories as necessary.
