Noon and 1:00 Updates from St Maarten

[Cyclone Runner]

Thank God for Dutch Efficiency. St Maarten seems to be the one Northern Island taking this seriously and responding to the situation in an appropriate manner.

APCEDI
http://www.afap.org/apcedi/


News Release
 
Written by Roddy Heyliger, Communications Consultant for the Government Information Service (GIS), Interim Dept. Head Marsha Beauperthuy, Ennia Bldg., Longwall Rd., Philipsburg, St. Maarten D.W.I. Tel. 00-599-543-1162, 542-4119, Fax: 543-1169; Email: gis@sintmaarten.net; Website: http://www.sintmaarten.net/gis
 
For Immediate Release: Monday, August 30, 2004/Special Bulletin #1 - 9.30AM
 
Residents: prepare for storm conditions and continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Frances; Tropical Storm Warning in Effect, Storm conditions expected within 24 hours
 
GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (GIS) - St. Maarten is now under a Tropical Storm Warning.  Chairman of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Governor Franklyn Richards is calling on residents to continue to closely monitor the progress of Category 3 major Hurricane Frances and to prepare for tropical storm conditions.

Based on the 5.00am Monday August 30 advisory from the National Hurricane Center, a Tropical Storm Warning continues to be in effect for St. Maarten.  Residents are advised to prepare to begin early for tropical storm conditions that could begin to affect the island within the next 24 hours with sustained winds at 55 miles per hour (mph) and possible higher gusts; and two to four inches of rainfall.

Based on the Monday 5.00am advisory, Hurricane Frances is expected to pass less 120 miles North of St. Maarten or less late  Monday night through early Tuesday morning.

Contractors are being advised to activate contingency plans by securing building sites on Monday in preparation for tropical storm conditions that are expected late Monday night through early Tuesday morning.

Residents are advised to make sure that there yards and surrounding areas have been cleared of all loose lying objects which may form a threat to persons and property during possible storm conditions.

Persons residing in less secure dwellings are advised to prepare for tropical storm conditions that may be expected in the course of late Monday evening through Tuesday.  At this point in time, it is not necessary to open hurricane shelters.

Hurricane Frances classified now as a major Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Intensity Scale of 1 to 5, has not passed the islands of the North Eastern Caribbean including St. Maarten.  Hurricane Francis was located approximately at 5.00AM Monday morning 380 miles North East of St. Maarten.

A core group of the EOC met on Monday at 8.00AM to reassess the situation for St. Maarten since Sunday evening.  The EOC will meet again on Monday at 5.30PM and residents are advised to continue to monitor broadcast media for official advisories and notices.

# # #
Roddy Heyliger
St. Maarten Government Information Service (ESF-8/GIS)

Roddy Heyliger
Communications Consultant

MEDPRO - Designed to broaden public knowledge by informing.
"The Value of Knowing First."
@ Government Communications
@ Corporate Communications

Email: heylrody@sintmaarten.net
Cell 599-5529397, 5564217

P.O.Box 414, Philipsburg
St. Maarten D.W.I.

[mf_dolphin]

Good for them! It's much better to be over-prepared than under. Looks like they're taking the prudent steps to me.

[Cyclone Runner]

1:00 Update from St Maarten
This island is really on the ball!!

OK, Facts first.
11PM Update....
18.9N, 56.2W, Winds of 125MPH, Moving West at 8 MPH.
Locally....
Swells started at about noon, light but there.
Beach at Maho is ALMOST GONE. There's SOME erosion at Kim-Sha.
The 5:30PM bridge opening to the Lagoon was busier than usual but not heavy.
Translation....
The swells are building ahead of the storm. I'll bet that most, if not all, boats from Philipsburg will enter the Lagoon Monday Morning. Stay away from the bridge area at the 9:30AM opening unless you want to watch.
IF...IF the storm continues heading WEST there'll be more boats arriving from as far away, possibly, as St. Kitts.
I suspect that the last opening of the bridge will be Tuesday at 5:30PM.
Now that the bridge has been widened, it can't open under the same wind conditions as before. I don't know what the MAX winds are to SAFELY open the bridge now.?????
The swells will continue to build on the western side until well AFTER the storm passes, as it'll be to our North West.
Cross your fingers and hope that it will return to its North West Track, or even better...DUE NORTH.

Neil Rooney

SXM

[schmita]

Hi,
Neil Rooney is not government. He owns Buccaneer Beach Bar on Kim Sha beach and runs another bar at the bridge.
I am going reconnoitering later today and will report if that's what you want.
irina

[Cyclone Runner]

Hi,
Neil Rooney is not government. He owns Buccaneer Beach Bar on Kim Sha beach and runs another bar at the bridge.
I am going reconnoitering later today and will report if that's what you want.
irina

Sure that would be great. It looks like St Maarten is a model for responsible hurricane preparedness the way everyone seems to be ontop of things.

I pick up most of this info on
http://stormcarib.com/
Both Government and locals post here. Sometimes hard to tell who is official and who isn't

We need to find a way to interlink this site with Storm2K so that they crosspost.