The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Emergency Management Agency Director Captain Stephen Russell yesterday urged residents throughout the country to take the necessary precautions to prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Erika.

The storm is expected to touch down in the Bahamas at the weekend as a Category 1 hurricane.

At NEMA’s headquarters on Gladstone Road, Capt Russell said all relevant agencies have been mobilised and are ready for the weather conditions Erika is expected to bring.

The agencies include the Royal Bahamas Police and Defence Forces, the Ministry of Works, the Bahamas Telecommunications Company, the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, Water and Sewerage and the Public Hospitals Authority.

Island administrators have also been briefed and are readying their respective communities, Capt Russell said.

“All of our teams are on standby,” he added. “All the agencies have been planning and making sure we covered all aspects of preparedness and response mechanisms.

“Members of the National Disaster Preparedness Committee (have) been in meetings from February of this year so the systems of the agencies are ready to respond if necessary.

“We are making an appeal to residents from the entire Bahamas to pay close attention to the radio, television and other media in terms of how this system is moving.” He said residents should know the address of the nearest storm shelter and secure their homes and valuables against damage.

“In terms of a communications plan, they should have one in place. (Also) ensure you have cash on hand to do some things if need be. When it comes to outdoors and around your homes. Secure those things that can become flying debris.”

NEMA has also set in place proactive measures spearheaded by the RBDF, Capt Russell said.

Acting Lieutenant Commander Ricardo Barry explained that officers are now putting the finishing touches to this plan.

He said: “In this regard our responsibility includes transportation support to the affected area, communication support and also shelter management. At present the RBDF has activated our hurricane platoons. These platoons consist of two separate teams, our advanced team which is deployed to the threatened areas prior to the system arriving the second team is our impact team which is then deployed after the system.”

At 8pm yesterday the centre of Tropical Storm Erika was located 1,350 miles southeast of Inagua. Officials said the storm is expected to gain strength over the next 48 hours. The Department of Meteorology is expected to begin its system of alert today, officials said.

Heavy rain from another passing system caused heavy downpours in New Providence yesterday.

Dexter Williams, a senior engineer at the Water and Sewerage Corporation, said that the heavy rain and flooding on the island was a “dress rehearsal” for his team.

He said despite clearing the island’s drains over the last few weeks, flooding has persisted because the drains are once again clogged.

“We have started our preparations for the incoming hurricane,” Mr Williams said. “We are in contact with our Family Islands to the south where we do not have representation, that is we do not have a Ministry of Works in those locations. However we have contractors that are on the island that will assist in the clearing up exercise.

“With respect to New Providence I think we had a dress rehearsal this morning where we saw the impact of continuous precipitation. About two months ago we had several contracts for the maintenance of the drainage systems. We have something in the region of 800 to 900 drainage wells. We are about 80 per cent complete in that exercise; however we still are having challenges with respect to debris accumulation.”