Posted by Yardie Luke on October 15, 2010 under Hurricane News | 
Marooned residents in Forest, Chigwell on brink of starvation
BY MARK CUMMINGS Observer West senior reporter cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com Thursday, October 14, 2010
FOREST, Hanover — AN urgent appeal is being made for food by the more than 650 residents of the flood-ravaged communities of Forest, Pierce’s Village and Chigwell in sections of Eastern Hanover.
“We are very low on food. If we don’t get some soon, some of us might die of hunger,” Colin Ricketts, a resident of Forest told the Observer West yesterday.
The residents’ movement in and out of the affected communities has been severely curtailed, due to the rising waters in the area in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Nicole, which lingered over the island two weeks ago.
The water in sections of the communities, Ricketts said, is as much as 60 feet deep and has covered most of the farmers’ crops.
Councillor for the area Wynter McIntosh agreed that the scarcity of food is one of the biggest challenges facing the residents.
“We are trying as best as possible to see what we can do in terms of providing some food, but it is a major problem,” McIntosh told the Observer West on Monday during a tour of the affected communities.
He was accompanied by chairman of the Hanover Parish Council Lloyd Hill and disaster co-ordinator for the parish, Olga Faye Headley.
McIntosh explained that the passage of the storm has resulted in the destruction of crops, livestock and poultry in the communities, aptly described as “farming areas”.
Nevertheless, McIntosh said, he believes that the supply of food to the three communities could improve soon, as charitable organisations such as the Jamaica Red Cross and the Salvation Army have agreed to assist.
Over the last two weeks, Headley added, her department has twice gone to the affected communities to distribute food and other relief supplies such as bed linens, mattresses and lanterns.
She argued, however, that relief supplies “are always never adequate”.
But apart from the current food crisis, the residents are also faced with a raft of other problems, which if not addressed soon, could mushroom into disasters.
Among them is the issue of mosquito infestation in the communities; the absence of electricity in Forest and the inability of some students to attend school.
Some residents have also expressed concern that they are unable to go to work, while others added that the three boats assigned to the communities to transport them are inadequate.
Headley argued that it could take a long time before normalcy returns to the affected communities.
“I think that it will take about four months before the water will recede,” she told the Observer West.
Area residents agreed.
“This (water) not going to draw down now. In 2004 duning the Hurricane Ivan it did not reach this high and it tek about four months to come down,” said Donnovan Chisholm, a resident of Forest.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for the area Dr DK Duncan, who visited the affected areas on the weekend, is urging the authorities to provide the necessary resources to assist the residents. SOURCE: Jamaica Observer
Posted by Yardie Luke on October 3, 2010 under Hurricane News |
For persons wishing to make donations to affected communities the ODPEM is asking that the focus be placed on the critical needs by donating bottled water and Non-perishable Food items at this time.
Donations can be made at the ODPEM Headquarters, 2-4 Haining Road, Kingston 5, from Monday to Sunday between the hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
For further information on the ODPEM’s National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) call 906 9674-5 or 754 9077-8.
Jamaica Observer
Jamaica Observer
Jamaica Observer
Jamaica Gleaner
Jamaica Observer
Jamaica Gleaner
Posted by Yardie Luke on September 30, 2010 under Hurricane News |
THE FLOOD rains which lashed the island over the past three days have claimed at least two lives and there are growing fears that many other persons might have died, as the outer bands of what developed into Tropical Storm Nicole rocked Jamaica.
A teenage boy and a 68-year-old farmer were confirmed dead in what could be one of the most deadly weather systems to have hit the island in more than a decade.
A family of six is among the persons reported missing and feared dead, but there were unconfirmed reports last night that at least six other persons could not be accounted for.
The first worrying signs came in the wee hours of yesterday morning when news broke that the wall of the Sandy Gully had collapsed, near Liguanea Avenue in St Andrew, pulling three houses into the raging waters.
It was quickly confirmed that a woman, her four children, her common-law husband and a visiting female friend were in one of the houses at the time it fell into the gully.
At the break of day, as the water flow subsided, the nude body of one of the children, a young boy, was seen near the collapsed building inside the gully.
A frantic search was launched but up to late last night, as the other persons had not been found sparking fears that they had been buried in the rubble or their bodies washed into the sea.
“Me can’t tek this. Me know all of them and the woman is a good woman who work hard and is always trying,” said one neighbour with tears flowing down her face.
Other persons cried quietly as they expressed regret at the tragedy.
Member of parliament for the area, Delroy Chuck, was equally struck by the tragedy which he claimed was avoidable.
“Obviously, it is a combination of factors that has caused the collapse of the house,” Chuck told The Gleaner.
“The house was built right on the gully bank and the gully floor and its banks were eroding. Up to Saturday, I was viewing it because I have made representation already to the National Works Agency about the many gullies in the community that need to be repaired and this was one of them,” Chuck added.
Death confirmed
Hours later, the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that 68-year-old farmer Lenford Blake was washed away by torrential rains in Flagaman, St Elizabeth.
While the police were unable to provide details on the circumstances surrounding Blake’s death, it was reported he was at a bar in the community when he left. On his way home, he was reportedly swept away by gushing waters.
That news was quickly followed by reports that a man who attempted to cross the flooded ford in the Hope River in Harbour View, St Andrew, had been washed away.
Residents claimed to have seen the unidentified man’s body floating towards the sea.
The body was not found up to press time and the police were unable to provide any information.
In 2008, Tropical Gustav caused 15 deaths and left millions of dollars in damage. SOURCE: Jamaica-Gleaner.com
Posted by Yardie Luke on May 31, 2010 under Hurricane News |
The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season begins Tuesday June 1 and will end on November 30. During this time period, conditions in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean will be ripe for the formation of hurricanes.
Weathers experts predict that this will be a busy hurricane season with a 44 % chance that a major storm, Category 3 or above, will strike the Gulf Coast.
As a minimum your hurricane preparedness “kit” should include:
- a First-Aid kit (bandages, latex gloves, scissors, rubbing alcohol, iodine, moist towelettes etc)
- one gallon of water per person per day – stock at least 5 days supply of water
- non-perishable food e.g. canned tuna, ready to eat bars, crackers
- batteries
- flashlights
- battery-powered radio or TV
- battery-powered alarm clock
- Manual can opener
- Cash (ATMs won’t give cash if there is no electricity)
- Gasolene/petrol STORED IN A SAFE PLACE
- Gas grill (e.g. Weber 386002 Q 100 Portable Gas Grill
)
- Charcoal grill (e.g. Weber 741001 22.5-Inch One-Touch Silver Kettle Grill, Black
)
- All necessary items for infant, elderly or disabled family members
An extensive First-Ail Kit should include:
- First-aid manual
- Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
- Sterile gauze pads and roller bandages in a variety of sizes
- Scissors and tweezers
- Packets of moist towelettes
- Needle for sewing and removing splinters
- Rubbing alcohol
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Iodine
- Petroleum jelly to relieve itching
- Ointments for burns and cuts
- Latex gloves
- Alcohol swabs and Alcohol wipes
- Antiseptic spray
- Aspirin, acetaminophen and antacid tablets
- Over the counter pain relievers like Ibuprofen, Aspirin, and Tylenol
- Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) 25mg Tablets for allergic reactions
- Thermometer
- Safety pins of varying sizes
- Mosquito Repellant
- SPK Sunscreen
- Lip Baum
HURRICANE INFORMATION NUMBERS
Broward County:
Storm Information >>>>>>> (954) 831-4000
Emergengcy Mgt. Office >>>> (954) 831-3900
Special Needs TDD/TYY >>> (954) 537-2882
Miami-Dade County
Storm Info line within the county >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 311
Storm Info line outside the county and from cell phone >> (888) 311-3233
Emergengcy Mgt. Office >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (305) 468-5400
Special Needs TDD/TYY >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (305) 469-5402
Palm Beach County
Information line >>>>>> (561) 712-6400
Monroe County
During a storm >>>>>>>>>> (800) 955-5504
Special Needs Registry >>>>> (305)292-4591
