PM Roosevelt Skerrit meets National Security team amid Tropical Storm Watch

Roseau, Dominica: Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit hosted a meeting with members of the National Emergency Planning Organisation amid the Tropical Storm Watch. He talked with Minister for National Security- Rayburn Blackmore and others about the conditions and preparation of Dominica for the natural calamity.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Dominica as Beryl has been heading towards the southeast Caribbean with the potential of becoming a Hurricane of category 2. It is expected to hit the country by the end of Sunday or early Monday, bringing heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms, and floods.

Prime Minister Dr Skerrit urged Dominicans to be prepared for the natural calamity and said that there is a need for a cautious approach to fight against this. As a precautionary action, he advised the citizens to listen to the warning messages from the relevant local authorities and carry out the necessary things to protect their property.

He added that the national system stands ready to provide support, but citizens should do all they can to reduce the impact on lives and property. PM Skerrit also advised the fisherfolk should also heed the warning message and secure their vessels and equipment.

He also played for the safety of those in the direct path of Beryl and stated that this was the time to brace themselves to fight against such calamities.

The watch is in effect for Dominica which has the potential to bring storm conditions within the next 48 hours and the Prime Minister urged the citizens to review the hurricane preparedness plans and ensure that they have essential supplies on hand.

Meanwhile, Beryl is expected to transform into a Hurricane before reaching the Windward Islands and Eastern Caribbean due to Barbados being under Hurricane Watch. Tropical Storm will develop into the first hurricane of 2024 year which is predicted to remain above average and super active from June 1 to November 30, 2024.

Tropical Storm Beryl is also the second named storm of the season with the first Alberto which affected the northeast area of Mexico.

The met department has also issued advisory and watches for the Caribbean region and stated that the citizens must brace themselves as the situation is expected to remain inclement for the coming months.

Several flights have been diverted and cancelled due to the inclement skies, causing disruptions to the passengers who visited the region from across the globe for the ongoing T20 World Cup.

Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit also asked the authorities to prepare their precautions against the storm so that they can support their people.