Type: Tropical Storm Gustav
Introduction and Background
As a result of Tropical Storm Gustav being threat to Jamaica with warning that it would make landfall by August 28, 2008, the Parish Disaster Committee members were put on the alert to include Zonal Committee Members. An Emergency meeting was held on August 26, 2008, PDC members gave information on their state of readiness. Bulletin which was received from ODPEM was given on Tropical Storm Gustav.
It was confirmed that the EOC would be at the Port Antonio Fire Brigade which is one of the alternate EOC to that of the Portland Parish Council. Esso and Texaco Service Stations agreed (verbally) to reserve gas oil etc for the emergency services, however at the National Level commitment needs to be obtained for same.
Representative from the various Agencies of the PDC were asked to be at the EOC. It was agreed that representatives were to operate on a shift basis or to do regular checks at the EOC.
Summary of areas damaged destroyed such as critical facilities routes etc. There were reports of fallen trees which blocked roadways in the following areas: Buff Bay, Swift River, Tranquility, Chepstowe, Hope Bay, Fellowship, Port Antonio, Windsor, Breast work, Hospital Road, Mill Bank, Nonsuch, Spring Bank, Seaman’s Valley, Alligator Church, Balcarres, Bangor Ridge. National Works Agency, Community
Members, National Works Agency and the Portland Parish Council worked assiduously to have the roadways cleared. The Fire Department assisted in clearing two (2)
roadways in the Fellowship area..
Water Supplies and Electricity were disrupted, causing the parish to be without electricity and some areas to be without water.
.
Water Supplies were affected as follows
Location Damages obtained Remarks
Haining Dislocated pipelines Out of operation Kensington Dislocated pipe, electricity Out of operation Windsor Forest Electricity Out of operation Long Bay Dislocated pipe Out of operation
Fairy Hill Electricity Out of operation
Drapers Electricity Out of operation
Kildare Electricity Out of operation Craigmill Dislocated pipe Out of operation
Belvedere Turbid Out of operation
Lancaster Dislocated pipe Out of operation
Hope Bay Turbid Out of operation
Discussion of Response
6. Summary of response conclusions
PDC members (Government/non-government organization/Volunteers) responded to Emergency Meetings/Emergency Operation Centre/Operation of Shelter.
7. Local level response a. Parish EOCs
The Emergency Operation Centre was activated at approximately 7:00 a.m. on August 28, 2008.
Operation Gustav at the Portland Fire Brigade was well-equipped with telephone lines transferred from the Portland Parish Council to include two (2) of the Port Antonio Fire Department lines. The numbers for the EOC were 993-2665/2765, 715-6762, numbers used for the Fire Department, 993-3041/4489.
Members of the Parish Disaster Committee were committed to the EOC and worked throughout the night of August 28, 2008.
Food was provided for the EOC and persons were well catered for by staff of the Port Antonio Fire Department.
Emergency items were obtained from ODPEM.
At approximately 8:00 a.m. August 31, 2008 duties were resumed at the Portland Parish Council.
b. Government agencies Jamaica Public Service Company
Hurricane Gustav – August 28, 2008 – Approximately 1:00p.m. Portland had a disruption in the electricity supply due to failure of the transmission system from St. Mary feeding Portland.
There are two distribution feeders in the Parish of Portland – one feeding the from the Sub Station – (Anchovy to Quaw Hill and another from Anchovy to Dover)
Approximately 31km of the conductors was destroyed through out the Parish. Total of 129 poles destroyed with the majority of poles and conductors being on the East. Other fixtures and fittings including transformers, streetlights and insulators were destroyed.
Based on assessment damage streetlight – approximately total 28, 18 for East Portland and 10 in West Portland. Approximately 12 transformers damaged.
In terms of restoration 99.9% customers were restored by September 10, 2008. A 100% restoration on the West and 99.6% on the East. The target date for completion of the 20 customers out in the Long Bay, Reach and Windsor Forest area are schedule for restoration by September 11, 2008. Please note however that customers who are without electricity as a result of individual complaints such as, damage pot head, meter pole, load side (private line) need to have those corrected before reconnection to JPS system.
Challenges
Inaccessible road/bad terrain, trees falling and mud slides in areas, such as Comfort Castle, Ginger House, Coopers Hill, Dumpries, Moore Town, Cornwall Barracks, New Eden, Cascade, Claverty Cottage.
In several of these areas Crane Trucks were not accessible, therefore poles had to be manually carried for long distance by workers or private hired tractors.
Jamaica Fire Brigade
The Fire Department worked assiduously to assist members of the Parish Disaster Committee, and accommodation and hospitality was well given to the PDC.
Officers from the Fire Brigade assisted in clearing roadways in Fellowship..
Nineteen calls were received during the passing of Tropical Storm Gustav. Thirteen (13) were Genuine, six (6) Dwelling houses were affected one (1) occurred during Tropical Storm Gustav and six (6) adults were left homeless.
Rural Agricultural Development Authority
80% banana and plantain destroy; within the next 8-10 weeks banana and plantain might not be available. There is no produce available for export. Two thousand seven hundred (2,700) \ farmers have been affected.
Registered vegetable farmers will receive vouchers to purchase
seeds and fertilizers. Registered banana and plantain farmers will receive benefits. Unregistered farmers will receive benefits after registered farmers have been given assistance.
Farmers are encouraged not to take too much of their produce to market at the same time.
Portland Health Department
Monitoring was done in the areas of General Sanitation, Water Quality, Food Preparation and Shelters. Major food storage was checked and no evidence of spoilage was found.
Ministry of Labour & Social Security
Approximately 1662 assessments have been carried out across the parish.
Totally destroyed – 98 Severely damaged – 668 Minor Damaged – 80
Damage to Household items – 82
Two (2) shelters remain open: Manchioneal with eight (8) shelterees three (3) males, one (1) female one (1) boy and three (3) girls and Mount Pleasant City Mission Church has six (6) one (1) male, one (1) female, three (3) boys and one (1) girl.
National Works Agency
The following roadways are cleared except for Cascade.
Parish Control Section Description Comments
Portland Package #1
Cascade Road dislocated in three (3) sections
Restoration to be done by NWA
Buff Bay –Balcarres Fallen trees, blocked drains, scoured road surface Recurring blockage at Old Station Total clearance Balcarres –Wakefield Fallen trees, blocked drain,
landslippage, wash down silt Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Wakesfield – Hardwar Gap Fallen trees, blocked drain,
landslippage. Road closure beyond regale as a result of the severed roadway in three locations Regale, Cascade School & Cascade
Total clearance Spring Garden -Chepstowe Fallen trees, blocked
drains, wash down silt
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance
School House Corner- Cheptowe
Fallen trees, blocked drains, land slippage, wash down silt Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Tranquility-Bangor Ridge Fallen trees, blocked
drains, land slippage
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Buff Bay-White Hall Fallen trees, blocked
drains, land slippage
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Churchill Corner-Muir Park Fallen trees, blocked trees,
blocked drains, wash down silt Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Hope Bay-Chisphall Fallen trees, blocked
drains, land slippage
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Chipshall-Durham Gap Fallen trees, blocked
drains, land slippage, scoured road surface
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Rio Grande Bridge-Cuffies
Head
Fallen trees, blocked drains, scoured road surface Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Swift River-Mt. Herman Fallen trees, blocked
drains, land slippage
Reopen to single lane traffic Total
single lane traffic Total clearance Folly, Boundbrook-Allan Avenue
Fallen tree limbs, blocked drains, fallen trees, land slippage Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Hospital Road Fallen trees & limbs, land
slippage Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Fellowship-Berrydale Fallen trees, blocked
drains Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Breastwork-Windsor Fallen trees, land
slippages, blocked drains, scoured road surface
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Windsor-Moore Town Fallen trees, blocked
drains, scoured road surface Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Moore Town-Cornwall Barracks Fallen trees, blocked
drains, land slippage, scoured road surface
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Alligator Church-Bellview Fallen trees, blocked
drains, land slippage, scoured road surface
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Seaman’s Valley-Mill Bank Fallen trees, blocked
drains, land slippage, scoured road surface
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Mill Bank-Bowden Pen Fallen trees Reopen to
single lane traffic Total clearance Port Antonio-Nonsuch Fallen trees, blocked
drains
Reopen to single lane traffic
Total clearance Nonsuch-Fairy Hill Fallen trees, blocked
drains Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Spring Bank-Stony Hill Fallen trees, land slippage,
blocked drain Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Hector’s River – Muirton Blocked drains, wash
down silt & fallen trees
Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Muirton – Fair Prospect Landslips to include fallen
trees, sea surge and blocked drains Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Fair Prospect – Folly Landslips to include fallen
trees, sea surge, blocked drains & scoured road surface Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Williamsfield - Haining Fallen trees and blocked
drains Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance Muirton – Haining Landslips to include fallen
trees, sea surge, blocked drains & scoured road surface Reopen to single lane traffic Total clearance
Muirton – Ecclesdown Landslips, fallen trees, wash down silt, blocked drains
Remain blocked by fallen trees. Work in
wash down silt, blocked drains single lane traffic Total clearance
Portland Parish Council
The Portland Parish Council parochial roads have been 90% cleared. Roadways blocked are Coopers Hill to Dumphries, Claverty and McCain in Swift River. The Council continues to work assiduously to restore water supply to Mill Bank and Comfort Castle and to clear road ways. The Council assist in obtaining relief supplies from the ODPEM regional stores, along with joint effort from the welfare team.
Portland Parish
Area/Location Damages Obtained Remarks
East Portland
Reich Road way blocked, fallen
trees
Single lane, work in progress Total clearance Nonsuch Road way blocked, fallen
trees
“
Halls Avenue Single Lane – fallen trees “ Gully Road Drain blocked – fallen
limbs
Work in progress Ranch Hill Drain blocked – fallen
limbs
“ Johnnies Piece Road Badly scoured
Norwich Blocked drain Work in progress
Golden Vale Single lane - tree limbs Work in progress Cornwall Barracks Single lane - tree limbs “
Jupiter Road Single lane - tree limbs “ Comfort Castle Area Single lane - tree limbs “ Ginger House Single lane - tree limbs “
Mill Bank Single lane - tree limbs Work in progress Mount Vernon Drain blocked -fallen limb “
Vinery Road Fallen limb, land slippage “ Shantamie
Mahoe Birnamwood Kildare
Blocked drains due to fallen trees
“
Martha Brae (Long Bay) Fallen trees
Rural Hill Fallen trees
Kensington Light Poles
Belle Castle Light Pole
West Portland Barrack Spring (Bybrook) Fallen trees, blocked road
Top Mountain Fallen trees
McCain Landslides
Lands Road Fallen trees, blocked road
Work in progress Durham/Coopers Hill Fallen trees, Land slide “
Orange Hill Fallen trees, blocked road
“ Grants field Fallen trees, blocked
road
“ Faint Away Blocked road way, fallen
trees
Single lane traffic work in progress Edingham Road Blocked road way, fallen
trees
Single lane traffic work in progress Chalkstone Blocked road way, fallen
trees
Single lane traffic work in progress Hall piece Blocked road way, fallen
trees
Single lane traffic work in progress National Water Commission
All water supplies will be in full operation except for Long Bay due to road access and dislocated pipelines.
Location Damages obtained/problem Remarks
Haining Dislocated pipelines In operation Kensington Dislocated pipe, electricity In operation Windsor Forest Electricity Out of operation Long Bay Dislocated pipe Out of operation
Fairy Hill Electricity In operation
Drapers Electricity In operation
Grants Level Electricity In operation
Norwich Electricity In operation
Windsor Castle Electricity In operation
Charles Town Electricity In operation
Kildare Electricity In operation
Craigmill Dislocated pipe In operation
Belvedere Turbid In operation
Lancaster Dislocated pipe In operation
Hope Bay Turbid In operation
Port Antonio Police Station
Port Antonio and Castle Police Stations were damaged during Tropical storm Gustav. Looting were reported but as a result of the police responded quickly no items were stolen.
8. Interaction with critical hot spots (disaster areas) and actions taken
As a result of Tropical Storm Gustav three (3) sections of road ways from Wakefield to Hardware Gap in Cascade are dislocated, as a result citizens were marooned. Humanitarian assistance was given by members of the PDC and ODPEM. Follow up will be done with National Works Agency for restoration.
Houses destroyed/damaged in the eastern section of the parish. Manchioneal and Hectors River were greatly affected.
Presently eight (8) individuals still remain in shelter at Manchioneal and two (2) at the Mount Pleasant City Mission Church. All shelters should be vacant by the end of September.
Welfare and Relief distribution Shelter Management Parish No. of Shelters Opened No of persons who accessed shelters No of families still in shelters Adults Children Portland 39 339 5 4 4
Regional Stores
Date Description of goods / supplies distributed
Quantity Mode of Transport
Dispatched to: 27.8.08 Anti-bacterial Foam Pads 40 Truck Portland Parish
Council Blanket (Fashion) 50 Cots 50 Lantern (Coleman) 36 Blankets (Casa) 40 Batteries (Kodak D) 24 Tarpaulin (20x30) 22 Tarpaulin (26x40) 27 Lantern (kerosene) 3 Raincoats 6 10-HP Coleman Generator 1 Generator Battery 1 Tarpaulin (24x36) 7 Tarpaulin (25x40) 2 1.9.08 Double Mattress 30 Blanket (Casa) 52 Blanket (Fashion) 18 Flat Sheet (Double) 20 Tarpaulin (24x36) 10 Tarpaulin (20x30) 45
5.9.08 Blanket 100 Toyota Pick-up
6.9.08 Tarpaulin 100 Toyota Pick-up
Telecommunications and information processing Recovery Activities to date in the Region
Ministry of Labour & Social Security Number
assessed
House lost Severely damage
Major damage Minor damage
Summary and Recommendations
Strengths Weaknesses Observed
Learnt Lesson Proposed Plans to Remedy/Prevent Weaknesses Observed - Respond to disaster quickly - Committed Staff - Level of knowledge & Competence of risk management - Team spirit - Duplication of names submitted by Councillors - Communities were over estimated - Delay in submission of alleged affected persons - Need for emergency supplies to be stored in event of an emergency - 4 wheel drive vehicle to respond as it relates to Distribution & Assessment - Inter Agency Support - Interact well - E.O.C. Training facilitated good E.O.C. Operations - Reports received and actions taken were available on status charts/boards RADA - Lack of Manpower - Access to damage areas (blocked roads, bad road surface)
- Inadequate time to prepare reports
- Calls received were handled efficiently and effectively - some communication lines were down - Additional communication system needed - Request to be made to ODPEM for CB Radios to be E.O.C. and all communities across the parish
Action plan for improvements
6. Description of actions to be taken a) Restoration of road surface at Cascade. 7. Assignments
a) Same as above
8. Associated costs and budget a) NWA
9. Timetable for completion a) NWA
10. Follow up responsibility a) Portland Parish Council b) NWA
Submitted by: Mrs. Denise Lewis, Disaster Coordinator for Portland Date & Time Submitted: September 30, 2008 at 10 a.m.