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Last Updated: Sep 22, 2017 - 2:46:38 AM |
 NASSAU, The Bahamas – The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA partially activated its National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) at 6pm Thursday, September 21 to closely monitor the track of Hurricane Maria threat to these islands.
Captain Stephen Russell, Director of NEMA activated Level II of the Standard Operating Procedures of the disaster plan because the situation escalated into a real threat such as storm warning, storm surges, and flash flood warning.
The relevant organizations such as Bahamas Information Services and the Department of Meteorology assembled at the NEOC at NEMA on Gladstone Road to ensure the public receives timely and accurate information about the hurricane. The remaining representatives of the Emergency Support Function agencies are on standby ready to assist.
Deputy Permanent Secretary Chrystal Glinton spoke to Family Island administrators via telephone, who ensure that their respective islands were prepared for the hurricane.
On Thursday, the islands in the Southeast Bahamas - Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Samana Cay and the Turks and Caicos were under a hurricane warning and expected to feel hurricane conditions within 36 hours.
Also, a tropical storm watch was issued for the Central Bahamas – Cat Island, Exuma, Long Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador. This means tropical storm conditions can affect those areas within 48 hours.
The Family Island Administrators in the islands under hurricane warning noted that hurricane shelters would be activated Friday morning, so as to accommodate residents living near the coast – where they were warned of flooding. Residents whose homes were compromised from previous hurricanes were issued tarpaulin to cover their roofs.
According to the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, the category 3 Hurricane Maria is expected to move near or just east of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas Thursday night and Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 120 miles per hour with higher gusts. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 160 miles from the center.
Hurricane Maria potentially can produce several tornadoes as it moves along its track.
Dangerous storm surge accompanied by large destructive wave will raise water levels to as much as 4 to 6 feet above normal tide level in the Turks and Caicos and Mayaguana areas.
Large swells and battering waves will impact the north and eastern coast of the Southeast Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands.
Extensive flooding can be expected as Maria is forecast to produce 8 to 16 inches of rainfall over The Turks and Caicos Islands and Mayaguana, and 4 to 8 inches over Inagua, Acklins and Crooked Island.
Small craft operators in the Southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands should remain in safe harbour.
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