MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Councillor for the Alligator Pond Division Omar Robinson says even as fisherfolk move to secure their vessels in the south Manchester fishing village of Alligator Pond he is encouraging residents to evacuate the area.

“Currently in the Alligator Pond space, I visited the seashore this morning (Sunday), the waves are climbing higher as I speak. When I reached out to the Parish Disaster Manager Mr Keval [Lewis] he mentioned [the area] is now under an evacuation order and the same was confirmed by the [police], that we should start making preparations to evacuate the area knowing that Hurricane Melissa is now at Category 4 and it will make landfall on the coast road end of Alligator Pond,” he said via telephone call on Sunday.

“I am here preaching evacuation. Let me hope that the residents will buy into it. The shelter is ready at New Forest High School and before next hour I should be doing some work to clear the swamp, it is at capacity. We are heading to that area to clear the swamp, so that the water can run out,” he added.

He is advising the residents and fisherfolk to move to higher ground.

“I am imploring all the residents in the Alligator Pond space to adhere to the orders of evacuation and keep as safe as possible as we brace for the possible impact of category four Melissa,” he said.

He believes most residents and fisherfolk are taking Hurricane Melissa seriously.

“I was in a discussion with a fisherman this morning where he was pushing up his boat, because they are in the final stage of their preparations. Most of the boats are inland and during a discussion he was saying he is in his 30s and it is the first time he has taken a hurricane this serious. He is strapping down his roof with rope, the battening down activities has been completed and he is now worried of the devastation that might occur,” he said.

“Most people are really worried about the possible impact and we are hoping for the best,” he added.

Hurricane Melissa was cutting a deadly path through the Caribbean on Sunday, strengthening into a Category 4 storm as it crawled along a worryingly slow course toward Jamaica and the island of Hispaniola.

Melissa has already been blamed for three deaths in Haiti this week, as its outer bands brought heavy rains and landslides to the impoverished nation.

Read: #EyeOnMelissa: Melissa strengthens into Category 4 hurricane

— Kasey Williams