Airports likely to close if Jamaica moves from hurricane watch to warning - Vaz

Jamaica’s international airports are likely to be closed within 24 hours if a hurricane warning is issued for Jamaica, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz has announced.

Norman Manley in Kingston, Sangster in St James, and Ian Fleming in St Mary are the three international airports in Jamaica.

“It is not a must that both of them will be closed at the same time,” Vaz told reporters on Thursday, making reference to Sangster and Norman Manley, which are more widely used.

“It’s all dependent on the tracking of the storm or the hurricane and the elements in terms of the locations of the airports, which are obviously on the sea,” he added.

Jamaica is currently under a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning resulting from Tropical Storm Melissa, which forecasters predict will start impacting the island later today into Friday.

The existing hurricane watch will not trigger the closure of airports, Vaz made sure to clarify during a special media briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Andrew.

He disclosed, too, that emergency protocols have been “fully activated” at all international airports.

MBJ Airports Limited, operator of Sangster International, has already implemented pre-storm measures such as the positioning of emergency supplies, the testing of generators, and confirmed that 36 hours of fuel reserves are in place, the transport minister said.

At the Norman Manley airport, he said the operator has directed stakeholders to secure assets, complete drain cleaning, and conduct structural and power system checks.

Vaz said both airports are prepared to expedite reopening once safety is confirmed.

- Livern Barrett

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