OCHA Situation Report No. 4
Hurricane Isidore - The Caribbean
21 September 2002


This message is not an official hurricane warning or alert for any
country.

1. The National Weather Center in Miami reports that Isidore is
strengthening into a major hurricane (intensity three on a scale from one
to five) over the Yucatan channel.

2. At 15:00 GMT today, the center of Hurricane Isidore was located near
latitude 21.9 north and longitude 86.1 west about 60 miles/100 km
east-northeast of Cabo Catoche on the northeast tip of the Yucatan
Peninsula. This is also about 120km west-northwest of Cabo San Antonio on
the western tip of Cuba. Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph/185 km
per hour.

3. A Hurricane Warning is in effect along the north and east coasts of the
Yucatan Peninsula from Tulum to Progresso including the island of Cozumel.

4. A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the western Cuba
province of Pinar del Rio including the Isle of Youth.

5. Cuba: Remaining stationary for about five hours over the westernmost
part of Cuba, Isidore brought very intense rain and high waves that
reached up to 150 meters inland.  According to the latest information,
more than 290,000 have been evacuated, of whom some 30,000 are in public
shelters.

6. Jamaica: According to the National Office of Disaster Preparedness and
Emergency Management (ODPEM), Westmoreland is the worst hit parish. The
United Nations Resident Coordinator is coordinating relief response by the
in-country United Nations Disaster Management Team. The priority
requirement is bedding and food.

7. For further information, please refer to the Website of the National
Hurricane Service in Miami at www.nhc.noaa.gov, and
www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/Tropical/Gif/ atl.latest.gif.

8. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet 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. E. Haegglund / Mr. R Mena / Ms. M. Kondo
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 32 99 / 14 55 / 19 97

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  (NYC)  Brian Grogan direct Tel. +1-212-963-1143


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