NASSAU, The Bahamas – The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, called a press conference Tuesday, to assure the public that the National Disaster Preparedness Committee is prepared for the path of Tropical Storm Erika, predicted to become a hurricane over the next several days.
At the time of the press conference, which got underway around 4:30pm on August 25, the centre of Tropical Storm Erika was 1,120 miles east south east of Antigua or about 1,130 miles east south east of Grand Turk Island or about 1,245 miles east south east of Mayaguana, or 1,255 miles east south east of Inagua.
Moving towards the west near 20mph and a west-north-west motion at a slightly slower forward speed expected over the next two days. However, on its present track, the Bahamas Department of Meteorology forecasts Erika to be affecting the SE Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands by Friday afternoon – August 28, 2015 – and is expected to develop into a Category 1 Hurricane before it exits The Bahamas.
Director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell said he is satisfied with the state of readiness of the disaster preparedness committee. He also cautioned and advised the public that they should have already been prepared from the start of the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season, June 1.
Representatives reporting on their areas were: the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Ministry of Works and Urban Development, the Ministry of Local Government (Family Islands), the Department of Social Services, Bahamas Telecommunications Company and the Public Hospitals Authority. These areas include deployment of disaster supplies, readiness of designated hurricane shelters, communications, drainage systems, public health services, and related assistance.
Captain Russell says NEMA will fully activate the National Emergency Operations Centre once the Met Department advises the expected impact of the storm.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30. And just prior to the 2015 season the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, predicted a below normal season; a 70 percent likelihood of 6 – 11 names storms (winds of 39 mph or higher) of which 3 – 6 could become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher, including zero – 2 major hurricanes; Category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher.
However NOAA updated its forecast based on current and expected conditions combined with model forecasts, estimating a 70 percent probability for each of the ranges of activity during the 2015 hurricane season. It predicts 6 -10 Names Storms, which includes; 1-4 Hurricanes; and 0-1 Major Hurricanes.
The Named Storms for the season are Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Erika, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Joaquin, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor and Wanda.
