{Follow-Up: Rawle Nelson will be monitoring the situation in St Kitts & Nevis as well as St Maarten} Hurricane Earl is approaching the northern Leeward Islands. A flash flood watch is now in effect for St. Kitts and Nevis. This will likely be upgraded to a warning later today. Skies will be partly cloudy to cloudy at first becoming overcast with moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms.

Earl is expected to generate cloudy to overcast skies with moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms and strong gusty winds across the Leeward Islands later today and tonight. Meanwhile, outer rain bands associated with Earl could also affect the Windward Islands and Barbados where similar weather conditions could develop. Puerto Rico and Hispaniola will experience moist unstable conditions. Skies will be partly sunny with brief cloudy spells and scattered showers. A few isolated thunderstorms could also develop in combination with day-time heating.

Residents are not currently being asked to board up their premises. Nevertheless, anyone requiring assistance from the Fire and Rescue Services, may call their emergency number FOR FREE at 333 or 465-2515. Persons in the Sandy Point and Tabernacle areas may call 466-1365 and 466-7236 respectively. The Fire and Rescue Services remain ready to be mobilised in the case of emergency.

Residents are being reminded to continue to observe the local media for updated advisories and to prepare family and property, to withstand the hazard’s extremities. St Kitts’ National Disaster Coordinator, Mr. Carl Herbert, is appealing to all individuals, families, organisations and institutions to increase their levels of preparedness in order to protect and to minimise the impact of a storm on life and property. Residents of low lying areas and flood prone sites, are urged to move to pay particular attention to the advisories and to seek safe haven inland with friends or family. A special appeal is also being made to building contractors and operators of vehicle maintenance and repairs businesses to have in place, in advance, a plan to secure items at work sites, that can become missiles in high winds. The time to do this is now, as even in a minimal storm, there is potential for damage.

In addition, boat owners and operators are advised to secure their vessels soonest, as swells in excess of twelve feet, are expected.

Vesta I. Southwell
Public Relations Officer
NEMA