Flooding expected as Tropical Storm Ian approaches

Grand Cayman remains under a Hurricane Warning, while Cayman Brac and Little Cayman remain under a Tropical Storm Watch. With Tropical Storm Ian closer to Grand Cayman, tropical storm conditions are forecasted throughout Sunday night into Monday.

Additionally, flooding and wave action are also expected. Four to 5-foot seas are forecast to impact the south coast of Grand Cayman Sunday night into early Monday morning, along with a 2 to 4-foot storm surge.

Consequently, residents located directly along the south coastline in areas known to be prone to coastal impacts during hurricane events may wish to use the next few hours to seek safe shelter as a precaution. These include South Sound, some parts of the coastline from the Hurley’s Roundabout to Spotts, Red Bay and Old Prospect areas.

Cayman Islands Hazard Management Director Dani Coleman states, “As with every emergency, we have been working diligently to make sure our islands are safe and ready. With this, we have opened six shelters from 2pm today for those who need to ride out the storm away from their homes.

“These include West Bay Primary, John Gray High School, Bodden Town Primary, Clifton Hunter High School, East End Civic Centre, the Red Cross, the Aston Rutty Center in Cayman Brac and the Public Works Department Building in Little Cayman. We urge the entire community to continue to keep informed as Tropical Storm Ian approaches. The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) will be working overnight to ensure the safety of our community.”

As at 10pm, Tropical Storm Ian was located at 17.3 N and 81.4 W with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. The storm is moving towards northwest at 13 and satellite images show that the forecast track ahs shifted eastward which brings t6he storm closer to Grand Cayman.

Stay informed and be prepared by visiting www.gov.ky and www.caymanprepared.ky or tuning in to Radio Cayman 89.9FM.