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Contact:
NEMO
Wednesday, October 26, 2005 -
The NEMO Secretariat today is alerting all residents and the Emergency Services
to the increased potential for landslides due to anticipated heavy rainfall from
an approaching Tropical System.
The slope of the land, the type of geology, ground saturation, and rainfall
intensity and duration all play major roles in triggering landslides.
There has been heavy rain recently
and soil conditions in many areas face a significant risk that the predicted
heavy rainfall could trigger landslides. Residents of landslide-prone areas
should be aware of the warning signs and be prepared to move quickly.
We have had landslide disasters in Saint Lucia where lives have been lost. We
need to be vigilant. Landslides are powerful. People living in these areas
should be aware of the danger during severe weather and be ready to act if the
situation warrants.
Advice for residents in affected areas:
Before the rains:
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Become familiar with the land
around you. Learn whether landslides have occurred in your area. Slopes where
landslides have occurred in the past are likely to experience them in the
future.
-
Watch the patterns of storm-water
drainage on slopes near your home, and note especially the places where runoff
water converges, increasing flow over soil-covered slopes. Watch the hillsides
around your home for any signs of land movement, such as small landslides or
debris flows or progressively tilting trees.
-
Contact your District Disaster
Committee to learn about the emergency-response and evacuation plans for
your area and develop your own emergency plans for your family and business.
During the rains:
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Stay alert and stay awake. Many
landslide fatalities occur when people are sleeping. Listen to a radio for
warnings of intense rainfall. Be aware that intense short bursts of rain may
be particularly dangerous, especially after longer periods of heavy rainfall
and damp weather.
-
If you are in areas susceptible to
landslides, consider leaving if it is safe to do so. Remember that driving
during an intense storm can itself be hazardous.
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Listen for any unusual sounds that
might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking
together. A trickle of flowing or falling mud or debris may precede larger
flows. If you are near a stream or channel, be alert for any sudden increase
or decrease in water flow and for a change from clear to muddy water.
Such changes may indicate landslide activity upstream, so be prepared to move
quickly. Don't delay.
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Be especially alert when driving.
Embankments along roadsides are particularly susceptible to landslides.
Watch the road for collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks, and other
indications of possible debris flows. Never attempt to drive across a
flooded road.
FLOOD WATCH ISSUED FOR SAINT LUCIA
HEWANORRA METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE
Phone: 1 (758) 454-6550
Fax:
1 (758) 454-9705
Hotline: 1 (758)
454-3452
WEBSITE: http://www.slumet.gov.lc
26 OCTOBER 2005…12:30 PM
PRESS RELEASE
FLOOD WATCH ISSUED FOR SAINT LUCIA
A STRONG TROPICAL WAVE IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD CLOUDINESS, HEAVY SHOWERS AND GUSTY
WINDS OVER SAINT LUCIA AND THE REST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES LATER TODAY
AND TOMORROW. HEAVY RAINFALL OVER THE PAST WEEK HAS SATURATED THE TOP SOIL, SO
RESIDENTS IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES ARE ASKED TO TAKE ALL
NECESSARY PRECAUTION. LOCAL FISHERMEN AND OTHER SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS ARE
ADVISED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN VENTURING FAR FROM PORT TOMORROW.
ANDRE JOYEUX VENANTIUS DESCARTES
FORECASTER METEOROLOGIST.
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