BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AS Tropical Storm Lee is is said to be racing through the Atlantic and heading towards the Northern Caribbean, Disaster Preparedness officials, including Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, are all in preparation mode.
Yesterday (Sept.5), Dr. Drew had convened a special meeting at the Headquarters of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) “to assess the readiness of our National Disaster Sub-committees”.
“As we witness increased activity in the Atlantic, it is imperative that we stay vigilant and well-prepared,” the Prime Minister disclosed on his social media page.
The disclosure came as Tropical Storm Lee was formed and is barrelling at 16 mph, according to the United States-based National Hurricane Center (NHC).
In its 5:00 a.m. update, the NHC noted that TS Lee was located near latitude 13.7 North, longitude 44.6 West, and its motion is expected to continue for the next few days with a slight reduction in forward speed.
Maximum sustained winds were reported to have increased to near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts.
Continued steady to rapid strengthening is forecast, and Lee is expected to become a hurricane later today and a major hurricane in a couple of days.
According to the NHC, tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles (130 km) from the center.
As officials continue to monitor the development of TS Lee, PM Drew called for citizens and residents to “stay united and vigilant in the face of potential challenges”.
The meeting, which was chaired by Dr. Drew, saw the participation of key individuals, including Cecile Hull, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security; Oureika Lennon-Petty, Acting Deputy National Disaster Coordinator; and the dedicated Heads of various sub-committees.
