There are two specific timeframes during the year that are favourable for hurricanes to develop and impact Jamaica.
The first occurs from August to mid-September while the second happens in the last two weeks of October.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the Caribbean island nation Tuesday, bringing with it what climate experts predict will be more than a year’s worth of rain in the coming days.
The storm, rated a Category 5 with wind speeds of up to 295 km/h, is already being labelled as the worst storm to hit Jamaica since detailed records were kept 174 years ago.
According to the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, an average of 10 tropical storms are formed in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea during the hurricane season.
Emergency plans
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness is using government’smain websiteto keep his citizens updated with the latest news and information during the hurricane and its aftermath.
The government is urging its 2.8 million residents to remain indoors during the passage of the storm, which — according to Jamaican cabinet minister Daryl Vaz — will be the largest since Hurricane Gilbert 37 years ago.
Vaz warned the island’s youth and young adults to stay safe, as they have never experienced a hurricane of this magnitude.
“The eye of the hurricane brings a lull in wind and rain, and it’s dangerous,”Vaz said in a statement.
The government also said there is no plan to shut down the electricity grid after 240,000 customers were without power, about 35% of homes and businesses served by the Jamaica Public Service Co.
“Several [power] generation units, critical high-voltage substations, transmission and distribution lines across the island has been forced out of service by the hurricane force winds and lightning,”Vaz reported.
Support for Jamaica
The government is also channelling relief efforts to a new website —supportjamaica.gov.jm— and warned people wishing to donate to protect themselves from scammers.
“We have already been made aware of some nefarious individuals trying to collect money on behalf of Jamaica,” said Jamaican Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon.
“We remind you that this will be the official site. If it doesn’t have .gov.jm, it’s not legitimate, it’s not an official government of Jamaica site.”
TheWorld Food Programmesaid it is working with partners to coordinate money and emergency supplies for Jamaica.
“Access will be a major challenge,” said Brian Bogart, the organization’s leader at their Caribbean Multi-Country Office in Barbados.
“If the storm surge hits hard, it will be difficult to get humanitarian staff in and move food and relief supplies — alternative airstrips are being prepared.”
Storms that have hit island in recent memory
Hurricane Berylslammed into the island on July 3, 2024, a Category 4 storm that claimed the lives of two people and injured 60. Among the damages, Beryl also caused widespread electricity disruptions and wrecked communications infrastructure.
In October 2012,Hurricane Sandymade landfall on the eastern end of the country as a Category 1 storm. Some homes, businesses, schools, churches, farms and roads suffered minor to severe damage.
Hurricane Gustavstruck in August 2008, killing 10 people after flooding and landslides affected some areas. Several houses washed away while some roads were damaged and became inaccessible.
