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| Hurricane Matthew heads for Jamaica packing strong winds | Hurricane Matthew heads for Jamaica packing strong winds |
| (12 days later) | |
| Hurricane Matthew has weakened slightly as it moves towards Jamaica, but is still packing winds of up to 230km/h (145mph), strong enough to wreck houses, forecasters say. | Hurricane Matthew has weakened slightly as it moves towards Jamaica, but is still packing winds of up to 230km/h (145mph), strong enough to wreck houses, forecasters say. |
| It is now a category four storm, the US National Hurricane Center says, after earlier reaching the top category five on a scale of intensity. | It is now a category four storm, the US National Hurricane Center says, after earlier reaching the top category five on a scale of intensity. |
| Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged citizens to make all necessary preparations. | Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged citizens to make all necessary preparations. |
| The storm is due to hit land on Monday. | The storm is due to hit land on Monday. |
| It is expected to reach Jamaica's southern coast first, but is also likely to reach Haiti and Cuba. | It is expected to reach Jamaica's southern coast first, but is also likely to reach Haiti and Cuba. |
| Cuban President Raul Castro has travelled to the eastern city of Santiago to supervise preparations for the storm. | Cuban President Raul Castro has travelled to the eastern city of Santiago to supervise preparations for the storm. |
| Officials have warned the high winds could batter Jamaica's main tourist areas including Montego Bay in the north. | Officials have warned the high winds could batter Jamaica's main tourist areas including Montego Bay in the north. |
| With the government on high alert, PM Holness said people should expect the worse. | With the government on high alert, PM Holness said people should expect the worse. |
| "What we have control over is our ability to prepare," he said. "We hold firm to the view that our preparation can reduce loss of life and damage to property." | "What we have control over is our ability to prepare," he said. "We hold firm to the view that our preparation can reduce loss of life and damage to property." |
| Local emergency teams as well as the police and army are on standby, while shelters are being set up throughout the island, his office said. | Local emergency teams as well as the police and army are on standby, while shelters are being set up throughout the island, his office said. |
| As the storm approaches, many Jamaicans have been stocking up on water and food. | As the storm approaches, many Jamaicans have been stocking up on water and food. |
| Tropical storm warnings have also been issued for parts of coastal Colombia and Haiti over the weekend. | Tropical storm warnings have also been issued for parts of coastal Colombia and Haiti over the weekend. |
| Haitian authorities say the priority is to protect the southern islands of the country, whose inhabitants they have described as "first at risk", according to AFP news agency. | Haitian authorities say the priority is to protect the southern islands of the country, whose inhabitants they have described as "first at risk", according to AFP news agency. |
| Forecasters said up to 38cm (15 ins) of rain could fall across Jamaica and on southern Haiti. | Forecasters said up to 38cm (15 ins) of rain could fall across Jamaica and on southern Haiti. |
| While Jamaica was damaged by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, the last major storm in the region was Hurricane Sandy in 2012. | While Jamaica was damaged by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, the last major storm in the region was Hurricane Sandy in 2012. |
| Matthew could be the most powerful storm to hit the island since records began, meteorologist Eric Holthaus said on Twitter. | Matthew could be the most powerful storm to hit the island since records began, meteorologist Eric Holthaus said on Twitter. |