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CAYMAN RESPONDS TO STORM ALERT

Hurricane Watch 05 Oct, 2020 Follow News

CAYMAN RESPONDS TO STORM ALERT

Cayman went into full storm preparedness mode from last Sunday as the territory braced for tropical storm conditions kicked up by tropical Strom Delta.

A tropical storm warning was declared on Sunday afternoon by the National Hazard Management Council (NHMC) activating a set series of predetermined procedures.

The Cayman Islands, Jamaica and western Cuba were forecast to be the first to feel its effects, mainly of heavy rainfall.

The NHMC sprung into action with several advisories to the public ahead of the imminent storm.

By Sunday government schools were instructed to close for Monday and Tuesday and government offices were put on standby to close from midday.

The government cancelled official events planned for Monday and Tuesday and civil servants and companies whose employees can work from home were advised to do so.

Other government agencies and private entities all went into storm preparation and mitigation mode.

With Cayman still under COVID-19 alert, those persons who have been isolating at home under the new border-reopening arrivals screening system were giving the option of relocating to government-managed quarantine facilities should they require.

The Red Cross also placed its shelter on Huldah Avenue on standby in the event of flooding.

Much more than a dress rehearsal, this was Cayman doing the right thing by preparing for the real thing.

The Cayman Islands National Weather Service (CINWS) had been closely tracking the system since it showed signs of developing warning of the risk of showers becoming extremely intense in and around heavy showers with severe thunder and the risk of flooding in low lying areas.

There was a firm warning to all small craft operators to remain in safe harbour until further notice.

Tropical Storm Delta is the latest named storm in the extremely active 2020 hurricane season now using the Greek alphabet having exhausted the standard naming scheme.

It become the fourth storm to be named this year under the Greek system following Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Gamma was still meandering just north of the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

The next storm under the Greek alphabet system will be called Epsilon. After that it will be Zeta which is the furthest into the Greek system that storm has been named in the Atlantic hurricane season.

The 2020 hurricane season still has nearly two months to go before it ends of November 30th.


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