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Hurricane Sandy brings torrential rain to Jamaica Hurricane Sandy brings torrential rain to Jamaica
(about 7 hours later)
Jamaicans have taken refuge in shelters and their homes as Hurricane Sandy nears the island's south coast. Jamaicans have taken refuge in shelters and their homes as Hurricane Sandy makes landfall near the capital, Kingston.
Schools and airports are closed and a curfew has been imposed in major towns to keep people off the streets and deter looting. Heavy rains and sustained winds of 125km/h (80mph) are pounding the island's south coast, according to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC).
Jamaica's meteorological service said it was expecting winds to reach up to 125kph (80mph) and as much as 25cm (10in) of rain. Schools and airports are closed, and a curfew has been imposed in major towns to keep people safe and deter looting.
The service expressed its concern over damage from mudslides and flash floods. Forecasters warned the category one hurricane could strengthen further.
Much of the island's infrastructure is in a poor state of repair, and a lack of effective planning regulation has resulted in homes being built close to embankments and gullies. The NHC said Sandy was moving north across Jamaica at about 20km/h. Tropical storm conditions were also expected to hit Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas before reaching Florida's east coast.
Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson cut short a visit to Canada and flew home before the island's international airports shut down.
LeaksLeaks
The number of people seeking refuge in shelters is rising, according to Ronald Jackson, the head of Jamaica's Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.
"We now have over 437 persons in emergency shelters though those numbers could be higher at this time," he said.
The country's meteorological service expressed its concern over damage from mudslides and flash floods.
Much of the island's infrastructure is in a poor state of repair, and a lack of effective planning regulation has resulted in homes being built close to embankments and gullies.
On Tuesday, a resident of Standpipe, one of the poorer quarters of Kingston, was trying to complete repairs to a roof which leaks badly even during a lesser downpour.On Tuesday, a resident of Standpipe, one of the poorer quarters of Kingston, was trying to complete repairs to a roof which leaks badly even during a lesser downpour.
"We don't have much time," said Andre Howt. "We heard on the radio that the hurricane was coming this way. We'll be getting wet.""We don't have much time," said Andre Howt. "We heard on the radio that the hurricane was coming this way. We'll be getting wet."
Hurricane Sandy is expected to travel straight across Jamaica, threatening both Kingston and the northern resort of Ochos Rios, before heading towards eastern Cuba and the Bahamas.
Haiti and the Dominican Republic are also expected to be hit by its easternmost fringes.
While Jamaica was ravaged by winds from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the eye of a hurricane hasn't crossed the island since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.While Jamaica was ravaged by winds from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the eye of a hurricane hasn't crossed the island since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.
Almost 50 people were killed by that storm, and the then Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, described the hardest hit areas near where Gilbert made landfall as looking "like Hiroshima after the atom bomb".Almost 50 people were killed by that storm, and the then Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, described the hardest hit areas near where Gilbert made landfall as looking "like Hiroshima after the atom bomb".