THE authorities are warning people who refuse to obey evacuation orders when dangerous weather systems are imminent, that they will be using the full force of the law to ensure that they comply.

People who live on the banks of gullies and near or in other waterways are especially being strongly advised to take heed.“The Government is prepared to take all the necessary actions that are available under the law, to ensure that we protect lives. Under the Disaster Risk Management Act, the prime minister can declare any place as a threatened area or disaster area. The measures include direct evacuation of the areas, [and] instructions for people to leave any particular premises,” Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie said yesterday, at the press launch of Disaster Preparedness Month 2017 by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.The event also marked the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which could see 11 to 17 tropical storms, and five to nine hurricanes — up to four of which could be major.“It is not fair for us to ask our first responders — the (Jamaica Fire Brigade), the military, the police — to go out there risking their own lives because some persons have some form a stick bruck off in them ears,” McKenzie said.Despite the warnings, however, the authorities do not yet have enough teeth to order compulsory evacuations from vulnerable areas when severe weather is imminent, as the regulations to the Disaster Risk Management Act, which was passed in 2015, are still outstanding.The minister also lamented the continued practice of illegal construction of homes in areas that are vulnerable to disaster.“Gully banks are not the place for people to live or establish businesses, yet many across the country have found space and have occupied these areas, and this in itself poses a great threat for disaster management. The reality is that unless we tackle the issues surrounding squatting, unless it is addressed in a fundamental way, we are going to continue year in, year out, to talk about the same issues that we are trying to deal with today,” he said.McKenzie pointed out that there are 754 squatter settlements, with a population of more than 60,000 people.“There are 585 such squatter settlements that have been mapped out — 138 of them are within 100 metres of waterways. More than 50 per cent of squatter settlements in Kingston and St Andrew and St Thomas are within 100 meters of waterways,” he added.The minister noted that next week he will open the debate on the Building Act, which contains provisions that address squatting.Meanwhile, head of the Meteorological Service, Evan Thompson, said the 2017 hurricane season forecast compares favourably with last year when there were 16 named storms, only two of which threatened Jamaica directly.However, he cautioned: “We must ensure that we prepare ourselves for the worst while we are praying for God’s mercy, and the best.” — Alphea Saunders