US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON1745

UNCLAS KINGSTON 001745 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT), WHA/EX (BUDDEN), 
CA/OCS/ACS/WHA (BRANSON) 
DEPARTMENT PLS ALSO PASS PEACE CORPS 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD AND J7 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: JM, CASC, ASEC, AEMR, AMGT 
SUBJECT: HURRICANE SITREP 01, 7/15/05, 1500 HRS - JAMAICA 
PREPARES FOR EMILY 
 
REF: A. STATE 131446 
 
     B. VALDEZ-BENT EMAIL 07/15/05 
 
1. Post's Emergency Action Committee (EAC) met in Kingston at 
10:00 a.m. local on July 14 to finalize preparations for the 
approaching Hurricane Emily.  The EAC discussed authorized 
departure, granted by the Department per Ref A.  Although 
authorized departure has been approved, however, few Embassy 
families have been able to depart because all flights from 
Norman Manley Airport in Kingston are fully booked.  RSO 
reports that Canadian High Commission canceled its chartered 
evacuation flight on July 15. 
 
2. Post ceased regular operations July 15 at 2:00 p.m. to 
allow staff to make preparations for the storm.  The USAID 
building will be opened as a hurricane shelther for American 
staff members and their families.  Those who choose to stay 
in the shelter have been asked to check in before 10:00 p.m. 
on 15 July. 
 
3. To ensure coordination and communication, a core EAC team 
will staff a command center based at the USAID building 
throughout the hurricane.  Post's command center contact 
number is 876-929-5374.  Post One can be reached at 
876-935-6055.  In the event that telephone lines fail, key 
staff may be reachable by cellular telephone.  Post has 
emailed a contact list to the Desk (Ref B). 
 
4. As of 1:00 p.m. local time on July 15, Hurricane Emily was 
located southeast of Jamaica and moving at 20 mph on a course 
to pass south of the island on Saturday, according to the 
National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center (NHC). 
The NHC described Emily as Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson 
Scale, with sustained winds near 115 miles per hour.  Post 
expects the effects of the hurricane to be felt in Jamaica 
beginning Friday night, continuing at least throughout the 
day on the 16th. 
TIGHE