ODPEM activates full emergency operations as Hurricane Melissa threatens Jamaica

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has fully activated the National Emergency Operations Centre as Hurricane Melissa is projected to rapidly intensifies into a major system.

In a statement Saturday afternoon, the disaster agency said the activation places the country at Level 3 - full response phase, involving all members of the National Response Team, first responders, and support agencies.

“The Parish Emergency Operations Centres and all emergency shelters have been activated,” ODPEM confirmed. It added that each parish’s emergency contact lines are operational as the national mechanism moves into full response mode.

Residents can reach the National Emergency Operations Centre at 876-906-7668 or 888-225-5637, or contact their parish emergency centres directly.

Melissa, which was upgraded from a tropical storm earlier today, is now a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour. The system, located southeast of Kingston, is moving slowly at about one mile per hour.

Principal Director of the Meteorological Service, Jamaica, Evan Thompson, warned that the system poses a severe threat to life and property. He said Melissa is expected to intensify rapidly and could reach Category 4 strength before making landfall on Tuesday.

“At that time it is expected to be a major hurricane because what we are expecting after today is that there will be rapid intensification of the system… it will continue to move towards the southern coastline of Jamaica,” Thompson said. “It should make impact with the coastline by Tuesday morning. Today is Saturday so we have about three days.”

Thompson cautioned that the slow-moving hurricane could dump between 15 and 25 inches of rain, triggering “significant, widespread, catastrophic, life-threatening floods.”

“With the slow movement of this system, it doesn't allow you to recover. It's going to sit there, pouring water while it's barely moving and that is a significant challenge that we have to be aware of,” he said.

Thompson also noted that tropical-storm-force winds will begin affecting eastern parishes Saturday into Sunday, with hurricane-force winds expected across the island by Monday and lasting through Tuesday.

“There is nowhere that will escape the wrath of this hurricane,” he warned.

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.