Please post any reports of damage from Hurricane Dean here.

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Jamaica is starting to feel the effects of the approaching Hurricane Dean, with reports of heavy rains and mudslides.
Correspondents say the storm is gaining in intensity with every passing minute and there are reports of flooding in the east of the Caribbean island.

PM Portia Simpson Miller urged the evacuation of low-lying areas, but reports say many are ignoring the call.

Dean has already brought winds of 230km/h (145mph) and claimed at least six lives in the eastern Caribbean.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic were spared the worst as Dean passed to the south overnight - damage was limited to flooding in coastal areas.

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Jamaicans start to feel hurricane

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Hurricane Dean, nearing Jamaica with winds of 240km/h (150mph), is seen here from the space shuttle Endeavour



BBC NEWS | In Pictures | In pictures: Hurricane Dean

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British tourists in Jamaica are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Dean, which has already wreaked havoc across the eastern Caribbean.
Airports have been closed on the island, where some 5,000 Britons are believed to be holidaying.

There are fears that Dean could hit Jamaica directly on Sunday. It has already claimed four lives.

Some hotels have already been evacuated, curfews imposed, and people urged to enter shelters.

The Foreign Office has warned against all travel to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands and all but essential travel to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico.


BBC NEWS | UK | British tourists braced for Dean

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PRELIMINARY REPORTS FROM THE NATIONAL DISASTER OFFICES:
Note that the all clear has not yet been issued for Saint Lucia and Dominica and therefore full damage assessment has not been undertaken.

BARBADOS
Barbados continues to be affected by rain. The flood watch was upgraded to a Flood Warning and remains in effect until 6.00pm today

SAINT LUCIA
As of 3.00 pm Hurricane Dean is still affecting Saint Lucia and the all clear has not yet been issued

Deaths:
One death has been reported

Shelters:
• Homeless persons are housed in two shelters that were opened on Thursday
• 22 persons are housed in a shelter that was opened in Dennery on Friday.

Utilities:
Power shut down as a precautionary measure has not been restored due to a number of power lines being down. Due to the power outage there is no water in the north of the island

Damage:
• Four corner shops have been washed out to sea
• Several reports received of Roofs blown off houses. The Paediatric Ward of the Hospital lost its roof
• Several trees have fallen
• Storm Surge damage has been reported in the areas of Gros Islet, Dennery and the Castries Waterfront.

Roads
The road to Vieux Fort has been blocked by fallen trees and utility poles. These are in the process of being cleared.

DOMINICA
As at 3.00pm Hurricane Dean continues to affect Dominica.

Deaths
2 persons lost their lives when their house was swept away in a landslide

Shelters
An estimated 1000 person are in approximately 100 shelters

Utilities
• Power has been restored to the capital Roseau but the rest of the island is without electricity
• The Potable Water supply has been interrupted
• Telephone Service in some of the rural areas is not functioning

Damage
• Island wide reports of roof damage received
• Approximately twelve reports of landslides reported including one that caused the death of two persons
• Roseau River flooded its banks and homes in the Bach Estate are threatened.

Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have reported minimal damage.

JAMAICA
Jamaica continues to monitor the approach of Dean very closely. A meeting of the National Response Team chaired by the Prime Minister took place this morning and the North Western Donor Group met this afternoon.

The National Emergency Operations Centre at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management is partially activated and issuing public information to residents. The Parish Disaster Coordinators have all been contacted and advised to maintain watch.

Regional Response:
The CDERA Coordinating Unit has contacted the Director General at ODPEM in Jamaica and is working to confirm regional technical support teams to assist the NEOC as necessary.

A second meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Donor Group (ECDG) was convened this morning. Given the preliminary reports received from Dominica and Saint Lucia, it anticipates a Level One or Level two response. As a result the Rapid Needs Assessment Teams (RNAT) will not be deployed at this time.

The ECDG also considered the emerging threat to Jamaica and looked at options of providing support to the North Western Donor Group (NWCDG). .

The Regional Response Mechanism remains on STANDBY.
The Coordinating Unit continues to monitor the impact and threat of Hurricane Dean and stands ready to provide assistance if required.

Contact Details: The CDERA CU 24hr contact number is 246 425 0386.


Taken from Caribeseek - Caribbean News

Battered!
by Daily Nation

Posted: Aug 20, 2007 14:27 UTC

KINGSTON – Hurricane Dean bore down on Jamaica yesterday with its powerful winds and heavy torrential rains, knocking out utility lines, stripping roofs off houses, triggering landslides and felling trees.

The island was under siege as the dangerous category four system, which packed winds of 145 miles per hour, whipped up huge sea swells and doused the island with several inches of rain.

The "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane struck Jamaica last night, pummeling the capital. Up to Press time no deaths were recorded, but international news agencies were reporting major infrastructural damage.

The government had earlier declared a 48-hour curfew and the power company switched off electricity as the wind began to howl and pounding waves battered the south coast.

Urging people to abandon their homes and head for the 1 000 emergency shelters, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said: "For the last time, I'm asking you to leave or you will be in danger."

Some residents of one low-lying seaport townclose to Kingston refused to leave.

"We are going nowhere. In fact, if you come by here later today you will see me drinking rum over in that bar with some friends," Byron Thompson told Reuters News Agency yesterday morning in the town of Port Royal.

Heavy rain pelted Kingston and streets were blocked by toppled trees and utility poles. Dean ripped off several roofs and a man was missing after falling trees tore into his house.

One resident on the outskirts of Kingston, told the DAILY NATION that the hurricane bore down on the city knocking out utility lines and stripping roofs off houses.

There were also reports of mudslides. One man called a local radio station to say his roof had just blown off. The line then went dead.

Police got into a shoot-out with looters at a shopping centre in the central parish of Clarendon, but nobody was hurt, Constable Cheree Greaves told the Associated Press.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Linval Bailey said curfews were in effect until Monday evening. Authorities also cut power on the island to prevent damage to the power grid.

"Radio and TV reports have been news of floodingand impassable roads. However, most people who live in these areas are already in shelters," said Hodari James of Montego Bay.

"For everyone on the island the main attitude is to sit, wait, get hit, but ultimately survive the harsh conditions. Hope our internet service holds up –the visuals from the weather channel have been really helpful."

Elaine Campbell of Hanover said she tried to make it to a shelter but it was full.

"We can't find a shelter and a lot of hotels have stopped taking guests, so all I can do is pray. My neighbours are in the same boat," she noted.

"Our houses are concrete with wooden tiled roofs. It is the roofs we are most concerned about and we spent all day yesterday driving in extra nails. I really fear for the poorer people in our neighbourhood because their houses are not as substantial," said Campbell (REUTERS/AP/PS)

Damage Assessment Begins In Jamaica
by Hardbeatnews.com

Posted: Aug 20, 2007 20:15 UTC

KINGSTON, Jamaica - The government of Jamaica is beginning a damage assessment following the passage of Hurricane Dean late yesterday.

The Jamaica Public Service Company says the results of preliminary assessments in the aftermath of Hurricane Dean should be available by 1:30 p.m. local time.

Flooding and downed trees and power lines is reported in some parts as well as roofless houses. There are no reports of deaths but two injuries are reported as police shot two looters.

JPS Corporate Communications Manager Winsome Callum added that emergency teams have been deployed island wide to conduct assessments.

While the National Water Commission says it has begun assessments of water systems that are currently out of operation.

Corporate Communications Manager at the NWC, Charles Buchanan, says teams have begun to identify water systems which can be immediately be put back into operation. However he says some will require electricity to be fully functional. In the meantime, Buchanan says water will also be restored on a priority basis.

All public hospitals in the northeast region are now offering full services. These include St Ann’s Bay, Port Antonio, Port Maria and Annotto Bay Hospitals as well as the Noel Holmes Hospital in Hanover.

The Ministry of Health says the hospitals in the rest of the island are still currently only offering inpatient and emergency services.

The Jamaica Tourist Board is reporting minimal damage to the north coast and disclosed that both airports in Kingston and Montego Bay are expected to re open for commercial flights at about 2 p.m. EST.

Cellular phones are working but it may be difficult to get through, officials said. An estimated 10,000 guests are in hotels across Jamaica with most opting to stay and ride out the storm. Stay tuned for further updates.

Significant damage reported in communites across Jamaica
by CDERA Situation Report #5 - 11.00am EDT

Posted: Aug 20, 2007 20:03 UTC

BRIDGETOWN (CDERA) - The Event: Hurricane Dean impacted the Lesser Antilles on Friday August 17, 2007 as a Category 2 Hurricane Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale and as a Category four during its passage across Jamaica on Sunday August 19. As Dean moved past Jamaica maximum sustained winds were near 145 mph (230 km/hr).

Dean caused the deaths of two persons in Dominica and one in Saint Lucia. Generally the damage to the islands of the Lesser Antilles was minimal. Dominica and Saint Lucia reported wind damage to roofs, flooding and landslides in several areas.

Jamaica has reported severe wind damage, significant flooding and storm surges in several of the Southern Parishes

As of 11.00am today, Monday August 20 a Hurricane Warning is now in effect for all of Belize. The Government of Belize has extended the Hurricane Warning southward from Belize City to the border with Guatemala. A hurricane warning also remains in effect for the Cayman Islands


Hurricane Dean remains a Category 4 and at 11.00a.m was located near latitude 17.9 North and longitude 82.4 West or about 125miles (200km) southwest of Grand Cayman and about 385 miles 615 km east of Belize City. Maximum sustained winds near150 mph (240 km/hr) with higher gusts. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95km) from the centre and tropical storm winds extend outward up to 205 miles (305km)

Prognosis:

Dean is moving toward the west near 21 mph..33 km/hr..and a westward or west-northwestward motion is expected over the next 24 hours. On this track the center of the hurricane is expected to make landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula very early Tuesday morning.

THE SITUATION – JAMAICA

Initial damage assessment will commence as soon as the all clear is given. Preliminary reports from the Jamaica Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management have indicated the following parishes to be severely affected:

• St.Thomas
• Portland
• St. Mary
• St. Catherine
• St. James
• Kingston and St. Andrew
• Clarendon

Shelterees

5,169 persons are housed in 213 shelters across the island
Damage

Housing Stock
Extensive wind damage reported in several communities, including roof damage and collapsed structures,

Roads
Several roads are impassable due to flooding or fallen trees

Telecommunications
Cellular telephone lines are down in sections of Portland, St. Mary and Clarendon

Water
There have been reports of damage to water supply systems in some communities

Electricity
Reports of downed utility poles. Electricity was turned off ahead of impact as a precautionary measure.

BELIZE

Preparations continue in Belize. Another Cabinet Meeting is scheduled for today to discuss emergency preparations.

DOMINICA

Damage assessment is continuing.

Dominica National Disaster Office has reported the following:

The Cabinet is scheduled to meet today to determine if a disaster declaration is required based on the initial damage assessment reports.

Reports indicate extensive damage to the agriculture sector

Government of Venezuela has provided a relief package which includes:
500 blankets; 500 sheets; 3 large tents; water; 120 units of tarpaulin and medical supplies.

REGIONAL RESPONSE:

Reports from Jamaica will inform the level of regional response as arrangements in place for a worst case scenario may not be required.

The Regional Technical Support and other Teams remain on standby for deployment.

Contact Details: The CDERA CU 24hr contact number is 246 425 0386.

The eye of the storm was some miles out to sea as it passed by Jamaica, but it still caused widespread damage as it careered along the south coast.

Trees have been uprooted and roofs ripped off houses in southern Jamaica, as Hurricane Dean's devastating journey through the Caribbean continues.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller declared a month-long state of emergency, widening the powers of security forces. Rhian Holder from Christian Aid described to the BBC the scene as the storm moved in:

"It's very, very loud, the wind is roaring and shrieking. The trees are breaking, you're hearing branches snapping, you're hearing thuds, things falling, you're not sure what it is."

As heavy rain began to fall, there were reports of mudslides north of Kingston and the St Mary area on the island's north-east coast.

'Forced to flee'

Kathy Barrett, of Radio Jamaica, told the BBC it had been "raining like crazy" in Kingston.

"I took a journey on to the streets of Kingston and saw huge trees, massive mango trees, coconut trees that have blocked the roads.

"Power lines are down... we got a good beating from Hurricane Dean," she said.

Ahead of the storm the national electricity grid was turned off as a safety measure and the prime minister encouraged people in flood-prone areas to evacuate to the 400-500 emergency shelters which were opened across the island.

Many refused to leave, fearful their homes would be looted if left unguarded. However, Gary Spalding, senior reporter for Radio Jamaica, told the BBC that in the end the severity of the storm forced even those people to flee.

"Roofs have blown off and the place is in a devastated condition, so they have been forced to take shelter now," he said.

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Hurricane batters Jamaica's south

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