OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Jamaica - Floods
28 May 2002


Situation

1.  Over the last week, heavy rainfalls have been affecting Jamaica,
causing flooding and landslides, and forcing hundreds of people to
evacuate. The most affected areas are the parishes of Kingston, Clarendom,
St. Catherine, St. Thomas, St. Ann, Portland and St. Elizabeth.

2.  The Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Jamaica
reported that, according to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and
Emergency Management (ODPEM), as of 27 May, five people died and
two-hundred families were accommodated in nineteen temporary shelters set
up by the Government.


National Response

3.  ODPEM informed that emergency personnel have been dispatched to the
affected areas to assist with the evacuation and the clearing of roads.
Relief supplies have been dispatched to Clarendom and Manchester through
the Parish Disaster Committees and the South Regional ODPEM.

4.  The Ministry of Health reported on 26 May that damage assessments on
health facilities were in progress. To this end, the Director of the
Health Facilities Maintenance Unit participated in an aerial survey on 24
May.

5.  The Government of Jamaica has not requested international assistance.

6.  This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA Website at http://www.reliefweb.int


Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
  Mr. Erik Haegglund direct Tel. +41-22-917 32 99
  Ms. Masayo Kondo direct Tel. +41-22-917 19 97
  Ms. Federica D'Andreagiovanni direct Tel. +41-22-917 14 78

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 56
  (NYC)  Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32


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