OCHA Situation Report No. 5
Hurricane Isidore - The Caribbean
22 September 2002


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

1. The National Weather Center in Miami reports that at 15:00 GMT today,
the center of hurricane Isidore was located near latitude 21.8 north and
longitude 88.5 west about 15 miles/25 km north of the northern coast of
the Yucatan Peninsula. This is also about 85 miles/135km east-northeast of
Progreso, Mexico. Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph/205km per hour.

2. A Hurricane Warning remains in effect along the Gulf of Mexico and the
Caribbean coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula from Campeche north and eastward
to Tulum, including the island of Cozumel.

3. The government of Cuba has discontinued all warnings for Cuba.

4. Cuba: No casualties have been reported. Owing to heavy rains affecting
large parts of the island, including the capital, no damage assessment has
yet been done. The sector of agriculture has suffered, in particular
tobacco, citrus and banana plantations, houses have been destroyed, and
electricity services interrupted. Together with the United Nations in-
country Team, the United Nations Resident Coordinator is beginning
tomorrow to plan UN system support to damage assessment.

5. Mexico: National Civil Protection System is undertaking preparedness
measures in all the areas concerned, with a particular emphasis, for the
time being, on the State of Quintana Roo. Media are tasked with informing
the population of Hurricane Isidore's intensity and movement and of the
authorities' preparatory activities.

6. 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.

7. 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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