KINGSTON, Jamaica — Over 6,000 Jamaicans have taken refuge in 382 shelters in a bid to escape the ravages of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which has now moved dangerously close to the island.

The update was provided by Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie on Tuesday morning, during a special media briefing at the headquarters of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

With only 289 people in 26 shelters in the breadbasket parish of St Elizabeth, which is expected to receive the brunt of the hurricane, McKenzie, the minister responsible for coordinating Jamaica’s response, has expressed concern.

“St Elizabeth is of concern because I’m understanding that we are getting calls before we came on air of persons in St Elizabeth asking for transportation to be sent into various communities to transport persons out of those areas.

“It is going to be difficult; I’ve given instructions to the ODPEM director and the team to advise the disaster coordinators and the Members of Parliament and the mayors, wherever transportation is needed …they should do everything that is possible to provide the transportation to get the people out,” said McKenzie.

“But the system that we have had (to evacuate people), those systems have been put on hold now because of the closeness of the system (hurricane),” he added.

A breakdown of shelter occupants by parish shows the following:

— Kingston and St Andrew: 45 shelters, 581 occupants;

— Clarendon: 39 shelters, 865 occupants;

— Westmoreland: 33 shelters, 500 occupants;

— St Mary: 27 shelters, 500 occupants;

— St Catherine: 27 shelters, 394 residents;

— Portmore: eight shelters, 24 occupants;

— St Thomas: 18 shelters, 609 occupants;

— Manchester: 23 shelters, 125 occupants;

— St Ann: 18 shelters, no occupants;

— Hanover: 19 shelters, 260 occupants;

— St James: 30 shelters, 209 occupants;

— Trelawny: 10 shelters, 313 occupants; and

— Portland: 59 shelters, 54 occupants.

Meanwhile, McKenzie said the impact of the hurricane was being felt with the Jamaica Defence Force and Jamaica Fire Brigade already responding to assist residents in the Corporate Area.

There are nearly 900 emergency shelters across all parishes, the majority of them being schools.

— Lynford Simpson