Hurricane Matthew set to hit islands
KINGSTON: Hurricane Matthew, a potentially devastating Category 4 storm, swirled across the Caribbean toward Haiti and Jamaica, where residents frantically stocked up on emergency supplies and authorities urged people to evacuate threatened areas.
Matthew is one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recent history and briefly reached the top classification, Category 5, before weakening slightly to a high-end Category 4 storm with winds of 240kph. It is the strongest hurricane in the region since Felix in 2007.
While previous forecasts had Matthew originally passing near or over the eastern tip of Jamaica, the latest projection has it shifting further eastward and possibly striking the southwestern tip of Haiti today. A hurricane warning has been issued for the impoverished country which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.
Deforestation has greatly increased the potential for devastating floods and landslides in Haiti and, combined with the ramshackle structure of many homes and building, this means that Matthew could deal a vicious blow to the country.
After passing Jamaica and Haiti, Matthew is expected to reach Cuba tomorrow, potentially making a direct hit on the US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay.
“It’s too early to rule out what impacts, if any, would occur in the United States and Florida,” said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman at the Hurricane Centre.
In Haiti, civil protection officials broadcast warnings of a coming storm surge and big waves, saying the country would be “highly threatened” from the approaching system, which was expected to start affecting Haiti and Jamaica after press time last night. They urged families to prepare emergency food and water kits.
Emergency management authorities banned boating, particularly along the impoverished country’s southern coastline.
In Jamaica, where there is also a hurricane warning, flooding temporarily closed the road linking the capital to its airport.