Few leaving flood-prone Port Royal, other areas as Hurricane Melissa Looms

Residents in the flood-prone coastal town of Port Royal, in Kingston, and other communities have once again ignored authorities’ attempts to relocate them ahead of Hurricane Melissa. The hurricane is expected to bring heavy rainfall, storm surge, and widespread life-threatening flooding to southern coastal areas.

At midday on Sunday, Margaret Parkes, 62, was the sole person seated inside a bus that had been parked in the community for nearly two hours, according to the driver. The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus was provided by authorities to transport residents out of the community.

Parkes, more widely known as Shine, said she opted to leave her home because of a medical condition that triggers panic attacks.

“And when I become anxious I get a panic attack,” she said, adding that she is going to stay with her daughter in a nearby community.

“I have all my medications with me…but what I don’t want is to have a panic attack and I am not in a position to reach the hospital,” she added.

Parkes acknowledged that if she did not have the medical condition, she would have made the same decision as other residents to remain in the community.

“Nobody nah leave Port Royal. If I wasn’t feeling this way I wouldn’t leave,” she said.

Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie urged residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas to evacuate immediately. Speaking ahead of the storm, he warned that many communities may not survive the expected flooding.

“It is going to be impossible for us, after all the attempts that we have been making…for us to say to our first responders ‘go out and risk your life,’” McKenzie said. He noted that all 881 shelters across the country have been activated to provide safe relocation options

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz said the state-owned bus company has received four evacuation calls since Saturday. But he lamented that there has been a low makeup in some vulnerable communities.

He said residents in Flagaman in coastal St Elizabeth have "refused" to board the buses. He said only 10 persons left on a bus that was sent to Old Harbour Bay in St Catherine. He said it's a similar low take up in Port Royal and Rae Town fishing communities in Kingston.

"We have deployed our resources and are awaiting board. We actually have buses on spot , now parked, waiting to evacuate and the response is not there," he said at the news conference.

Vaz said the JUTC has indicated that it is running limited operations but "and will likely cease operations mid afternoon de to rising water levels, low visibility and of course the weather coming closer".

Jamaica’s senior meteorologist, Evan Thompson, said Hurricane Melissa is likely to cause severe flooding in southern coastal areas, including Port Royal and Portmore. He warned that waves could reach up to 13 feet, with heavy rainfall expected to exceed 30 inches in parts of eastern and south-central Jamaica.

“There is a model that is indicating the level of storm surge that is expected. Portmore is within that area that storm surge would be expected because it would be east of the centre of the system when it makes landfall,” Thompson said.

Authorities continue to urge residents to take the threat seriously and relocate to safer areas as preparations for Hurricane Melissa continue.

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