BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Federation is again being asked to ensure that it is in a state of preparedness as the possible threat of a major hurricane looms in the Atlantic.
The St. Kitts Meteorological Office has advised that Hurricane Igor, which according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a Category 4 system, and as at 5:00 p.m. yesterday (Sept 13) was located 830 miles or 1335 kilometers away from the Leeward Islands.
The Met Office’s advisory indicated that Hurricane Igor moves at a pace of 10 miles per hour of 17 Kilometers per hour. Located near latitude 17.7 north and longitude 50.5 west, this major storm is moving in a westerly direction and is expected to make a turn towards the west-northwest between last night and today.
No watches or warnings are currently in effect for St. Kitts Nevis or any of the Leeward Islands and the Met Office advises that Hurricane Igor, once it behaves as predicted, will pose no threat to either of the islands.
Residents of the Federation are being asked to pay attention to advisories relative to Hurricane Igor but also to another system which is making its way westwards through the Atlantic; Hurricane Julia.
She, according to the Met Office, is more than 200 miles or 335 Kilometers away from the Cape Verde Islands and is now a category one storm.
The approach of the hurricane season often forces many into a state of preparedness as the likelihood always exists that the Federation would be visited by a major hurricane. However, as the season progresses and the Federation is spared from direct hits, persons tend to relax their guard and regress into a former state of complacency.
National Disaster Coordinator, Carl Herbert, has warned against this regression especially in light of the fact that we are currently in the heart of what is panning out to be a very active season.
“I want to use the opportunity to appeal persons to pay close attention to the various advisories and other information that the met office and the disaster management agency would provide from time to time. It is absolutely necessary that we do so because 1) we are in the very active portion of the Atlantic Hurricane season; that is mid-August into September, 2) the forecasters have indicated that this year’s season is expected to be a very active season and to date, we have seen an increase in the activity, 3) science has not yet been able to clearly determine which islands will be or may be impacted by weather systems and 4) weather systems undertake changes.
“It is important to take those scenarios and variables into consideration and the associated uncertainties and that it is imperative that we all do what we can as individuals, as families, as organizations as institutions to be prepared at high levels in order to minimize the impact on lives and or property.”
