Up to 50,000 Jamaicans could be relocated, says McKenzie as Hurricane Melissa nears

Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie says the Government is preparing for the possible relocation of up to 50,000 Jamaicans to safe areas or emergency shelters as Hurricane Melissa approaches.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, McKenzie reported that only 972 people were in shelters across 76 of the island’s 881 designated facilities, with Clarendon (311), St Thomas (227), and Kingston and St Andrew (179) recording the highest numbers.

He expressed concern that parishes, where the storm is projected to make landfall, had very few evacuees so far - including St Elizabeth (27), St James (24), and Westmoreland (32) - and urged more residents to seek shelter before conditions worsen.

“I am hoping that by later this afternoon, we will see increased numbers of persons going to the shelters,” he said.

Jamaica has issued mandatory evacuations for seven flood-prone communities along the south coast.

The order covers Port Royal in Kingston, Portland Cottage and Rocky Point in Clarendon, Old Harbour Bay in St Catherine and Taylor Land, Bull Bay, New Haven and Riverton City in St Andrew.

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