The National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) is urging residents of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to store food and water for a week as two weather systems approach the country.
NEMO Director Michelle Forbes noted on Saturday that Tropical Storm Beryl is forecast to intensify into a hurricane and impact the country on Monday.
Then, another weather system is forecast to impact the country by Wednesday.
“So have enough food supply and water stored for at least, I would say, a week at least,” Forbes said Saturday during a national address by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.
Forbes said that while it is somewhat late, property owners should trim overhanging trees by Sunday morning at the latest “because the winds are going to start picking up in the evening.
“Ensure that you secure your windows and if you have shutters, you can have been sorted,” she said.
The disaster manager urged residents to charge their mobile phones, fill up their vehicles “and ensure you all of those things backed up”.
She also said that people should have some cash on hand “because we don’t know what is going to happen.
“I think, importantly, we have to prepare for a major hurricane. This is what we’re saying. And I’m not talking about a little gust that’s gonna last for a few minutes. This is sustained winds, maybe several hours.”
Forbes and Gonsalves spoke from NEMO headquarters where a meeting of the National Emergency Council was convened at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
“I don’t think … in our lifetime here, maybe apart from PM, we’ve have really experienced it. So we need to be prepared and thinking that we can be maybe without power for some time,” she said.
“So, we have to ensure that we have battery-operated lanterns and we have to have the food supply to really last for several days,” Forbes said.
“So, I really want to encourage persons to take this seriously. We’re looking at a hurricane bearing down on us and especially over the Grenadines and the south of St. Vincent, mainland St. Vincent and this can last all day Monday. We’re looking at least early Monday morning and throughout the day on Monday,” Forbes said.
Meanwhile, Gonsalves said that emergency shelters will be open at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
He urged households to decide whether their home can withstand a hurricane.
“Now, you have to make up your mind quite early as to whether you’re going to the shelter or not. From right now you have to make an assessment as to the condition of your property. And you and your family must make that determination to go to the nearest shelter,” the prime minister said.
He said that people who move into shelters should take enough food and water to feed themselves Sunday night and Monday morning.
The prime minister asked that supermarkets and gas stations open later on Saturday and will also open on Sunday.
He further ordered that drivers of government vehicles ensured that they are refuelled, adding that BRAGSA will open until 4 p.m. Saturday and also on Sunday.
The prime minister said that as regards the healthcare sector, “everything to be done is being dealt with”.
He said the 39 clinics and the hospitals, “all of them will have the requisite medical kits and all what is required from a health standpoint. Everything.
“We went through all of that this morning,” the prime minister said.