Gustav leaves 18 dead in Jamaica
Leaves heavy damage in its trail…

By Stanford Conway
Editor-in-Chief-SKNVibes.com

KINGSTON, Jamaica – REPORTS coming out of Jamaica state that Tropical Storm Gustav has caused heavy damage on the island and has left 10 out of 18 persons reportedly dead in its wake.

According to The Jamaica Observer, Government officials on Friday had placed the figure at 11 tentatively, as they were uncertain how many lives were lost during the onslaught.

However, The Observer noted that yesterday, Horace Glaze, Senior Director of Preparedness and Emergency Management at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), said other casualties that have been reported were being investigated.

“We received confirmation from the police that 10 of the 18 deaths confirmed were directly related to Gustav, but a few of the others were persons who were being idle and got themselves in difficulty. But overall, we had 18 deaths reported,” The Observer reported him as saying.

The local newspaper also stated that Glaze said the shelter population had reduced, with 1,123 persons remaining in 88 shelters island-wide, and up to 11:45 a.m. yesterday the ODPEM reported that 1,506 persons remained in 92 shelters across the island.

Persons were forced to take refuge in shelters Thursday night as Gustav blasted the island with 70 mph winds that damaged roofs, uprooted trees and left many people without electricity; the thorough soaking triggered flooding and mudslides, which destroyed many homes and infrastructure.    ~~Adz:Right~~

Last night, Glaze said several shelters in a number of parishes had closed during the course of yesterday and a number were expected to follow suit today (Sunday):  “It’s less now. We found from our assessments that some of the persons could go home,” he said. “Those persons who suffered minor damage to their buildings as well as the areas where the water receded returned home. In the Trelawny area all the shelters were closed as well as St James. Quite a few shelters were closed in other areas and going into tomorrow we foresee that quite a few others will be closed.”

Glaze said the ODPEM was not at this time carrying out any further evacuation activities but would spend today focussing on assisting communities that were cut off and are running low on food and water, but are not in danger otherwise.

It is also understood that the bridge used to cross the Hoppe River Harbour View has collapsed and the ODPEM advised persons not to attempt crossing until the National Works Agency erects a temporary “Bailey Bridge in its place”.

Additionally, The Observer stated that the Jamaica Public Service reported that service was restored to half of its 160,000 customers who were left without electricity in the wake of Gustav; and these included public hospitals in Alexandria, Port Maria, Lucea, Linstead and Annotto Bay, as well as the Norman Manley International Airport.

“Service to several communities in St James, Hanover, Westmoreland and Trelawny, as well as a few areas in Clarendon, St Catherine, St Ann, St Mary and St Thomas should also have been restored yesterday according to a schedule issued by the light and power company,” the newspaper said.

And the National Water Commission said that up to last evening service had been restored in 11 parishes except for persons served by the College Green distribution line in the Corporate Area.

"We suffered significant damage to some of our infrastructure and major damage to different sized pipes in places like the vicinity of College Green near Jamaica College," NWC spokesman Charles Buchanan told the Sunday Observer.

Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported that Hurricane Gustav charged across the Gulf of Mexico today, as residents fled New Orleans and the National Guard prepared to patrol evacuated neighborhoods in a city still recovering three years after Katrina.

Forecasters warned that even though Gustav has dropped from a Category 4 to a Category 3 storm overnight, it could gain strength from the Gulf's warm waters before making landfall as early as Monday.