Residents living in low-lying areas warned to evacuate

The St Catherine Disaster Management and Preparedness Committee says it is fully prepared to mitigate any fallout from Hurricane Elsa.

Chairman of the committee Roogae Kirkew says the operational centre from which all responses will be generated has already been activated.

“We are prepared to respond to the needs of those who could be affected. All 65 emergency shelters in the parish are equipped with emergency supplies and shelter managers are in place,” Kirkew told The Gleaner yesterday.

He noted that the Old Harbour Bay tsunami siren that was out of service has been repaired, tested and is operational once again.

With the possibility of widespread showers and thunderstorms beginning to affect the island by late Saturday, Kirkew is appealing to residents to take the necessary precautions before it’s too late.

“We are appealing to residents who are living in low-lying areas, near riverbanks, and generally in flood-prone areas to move expeditiously and evacuate before conditions deteriorate. Too often some persons wait until the late minute to move. This is a dangerous practice,” he warned.

Kirkew disclosed that an emergency meeting is planned for midday Saturday with all the agencies to fine-tune their response strategy.