As Tropical Storm Melissa moves through the Caribbean, Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby is appealing to residents in flood-prone areas to be prepared to relocate to shelters or higher ground if it becomes necessary.

“If the rain is heavy or falls for a prolonged period of time there might be flooding, but if your area is prone to flooding probably it’s best to go somewhere else during that period or go into a shelter,” he appealed.

He was speaking with reporters on Tuesday after the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation’s (KSAMC’s) scheduled monthly Disaster and Climate Change Committee meeting.

The mayor said the KSAMC has been in touch with residents of flood-prone areas in communities such as New Haven, Harbour View, and Bull Bay, and the municipal corporation’s Disaster Coordinator Terry Forrester has been having discussions with shelter managers.

“Not at all councillors are on that committee but we thought it was fitting to invite all councillors. We also made sure that persons who could not attend, that they could join us virtually,” Swaby disclosed.

He pointed out that the majority of drains within the KSAMC were cleaned at the start of the hurricane season and should be in excellent condition.

“We always started with the drains on the coastal side of the city, and that has been successful. I’m not going to say that all drains are in tip-top condition but we believe that a fair amount of them are in good condition,” said the mayor.

For her part, Forrester said that preparations are underway. She noted that the team has been in contact with shelter managers and partner agencies, sharing information through WhatsApp groups and providing shelter managers with new gear such as water boots and raincoats to ensure they can operate effectively.

The disaster coordinator added that public education material, including emergency contact numbers, will be distributed so residents know who to call in case of an emergency. She added that while they await further instructions from the national system, plans are being put in place to ensure a swift and effective response if the need arises.

“Also, we will be meeting with ODPEM [Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management] and other agencies today to get a better understanding of what to expect from the system. We should be having that meeting sometime this afternoon, and as such we will be able to either beef up our preparation activities or follow the instructions that are given by ODPEM,” she said Tuesday.