UNCLAS KINGSTON 001746

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT), WHA/EX (BUDDEN),
CA/OCS/ACS/WHA (BRANSON)
DEPARTMENT PLS ALSO PASS PEACE CORPS
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD AND J7

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: JM CASC ASEC AEMR AMGT
SUBJECT: HURRICANE SITREP 01, 7/15/05, 1500 HRS - JAMAICA
PREPARES FOR EMILY

REF: A. STATE 131446

B. VALDEZ-BENT EMAIL 07/15/05


1. Post's Emergency Action Committee (EAC) met in Kingston at
10:00 a.m. local on July 15 to finalize preparations for the
approaching Hurricane Emily. The EAC discussed authorized
departure, granted by the Department per Ref A. Although
authorized departure has been approved, however, few Embassy
families have been able to depart because all flights from
Norman Manley Airport in Kingston are fully booked. RSO
reports that Canadian High Commission canceled its chartered
evacuation flight on July 15.


2. Post ceased regular operations July 15 at 2:00 p.m. to
allow staff to make preparations for the storm. The USAID
building will be opened as a hurricane shelther for American
staff members and their families. Those who choose to stay
in the shelter have been asked to check in before 10:00 p.m.
on 15 July.


3. To ensure coordination and communication, a core EAC team
will staff a command center based at the USAID building
throughout the hurricane. Post's command center contact
number is 876-929-5374. Post One can be reached at
876-935-6055. In the event that telephone lines fail, key
staff may be reachable by cellular telephone. Post has
emailed a contact list to the Desk (Ref B).


4. As of 1:00 p.m. local time on July 15, Hurricane Emily was
located southeast of Jamaica and moving at 20 mph on a course
to pass south of the island on Saturday, according to the
National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The NHC described Emily as Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson
Scale, with sustained winds near 115 miles per hour. Post
expects the effects of the hurricane to be felt in Jamaica
beginning Friday night, continuing at least throughout the
day on the 16th.
TIGHE