As Jamaica prepares for Tropical Storm Melissa, there are fears that this “catastrophic” storm may well be worse than the tragic Storm Gilbert, which devastated the island country in 1988.
Tropical Storm Melissa: The Weather Channel Shares Update on Expected Hurricane
Tropical Storm Melissa continues to intensify as we head into the weekend.
Experts feared Melissa could be on track to become the fiercest hurricane ever seen in Jamaica. Melissa, which first formed in the southern Caribbean Sea on Tuesday, October 21, is now “winding” its way toward Jamaica, where it is feared the impact could be “catastrophic.”
On the social media platform
Addressing the possible seriousness of the situation, Ferragamo stated: “It is not an exaggeration to say that #MELISSA could be worse than GILBERT 1988.”
With fearsome winds of 115 knots (130 mph), Gilbert was, in Ferragamo’s words, “the strongest hurricane ever recorded in Jamaica.” And it took a devastating toll on the beautiful island nation.
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Gilbert, one of the largest tropical cyclones ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, made landfall for the first time near the vibrant capital city of Kingston around 1 pm EDT on September 12, 1988, with winds of 115 knots (130 mph).
There were 45 confirmed deaths in Jamaica, out of a reported total of 318 in Mexico, Jamaica, Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, United States, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. This tragic death toll was considered surprisingly low considering the nightmarish power of the storm, with the eye of the hurricane passing directly over Jamaica.
Hurricane-force winds raged for approximately 10 to 12 hours, according to the University of the West Indies, with the roofs ripped off 80 percent of the country’s 500,000 homes. Unfortunately, 100,000 of them could not be repaired and hundreds of people were left homeless.
In the long term, Gilbert had serious consequences for Jamaica’s economy: the banana industry lost some $400 million in export revenue, while losses of domestic food crops brought the nation to its knees. Then-Prime Minister Edward Seaga estimated the damage at JMD 5.5 billion (US$1 billion), while UNDRO (1988) estimated the damage at over $800 million.
With fears that Jamaica could become the epicenter of a new storm, Melissa, officials yesterday (October 23) urged citizens to remain vigilant as preparations got underway.
As reported by cnn weather, Christopher Tufton, Jamaica’s Minister of Health and Welfare, has confirmed that the country’s public hospitals are ready to go into “emergency mode”, with outpatient and elective procedures paused to free up more beds for emergencies.
Meanwhile, while Jamaica’s airports remain open at the time of writing, they are likely to close within 24 hours of a hurricane warning being issued, according to Daryl Vaz, Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport.
Highlighting what we can expect in the coming days, as reported the independent, Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather’s top hurricane expert, said: “People in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica should prepare for the growing threat of torrential rains, flash flooding, power outages and washed out roads. Melissa’s impacts could be catastrophic.”
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