5PM UPDATE:

Severe Weather Alert Continued

3 June, 2015

5 pm

Flooding rains continue to impact the Cayman Islands on Wednesday, June 3^rd as a surface trough over the western Caribbean interacts with an upper level trough over the Gulf Mexico.

By 3.30 pm on Wednesday, rainfall accumulations in excess of 8 inches were recorded in a 24 hour period in George Town, and weather models indicate a further 3-4 inches are likely to fall over the next 24 hours.

Reports from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service advise that Anthony Drive, in George Town is impassable and motorists are being asked to avoid this area and use alternate routes to access Windsor Park.  Also, Yeats Street and Sitwell Streets, in Belford Estates, Bodden Town are significantly flooded, and areas of Hirst Road, North Sound Estates and Shamrock Road near the Lime Exchange are also affected by standing flood water.

Reports of stalled vehicles have been received in George Town and motorists in low profile vehicles are discouraged from driving through flooded roads.

A number of schools closed on Wednesday June 3^rddue to the impact of the severe weather including:

• Edna Moyle Primary School
• Savannah Primary School
• Clifton Hunter High School
• Cayman Prep School
• Triple C School
• University College of the Cayman Islands

All other schools remained in session.

There is no word yet on whether certain schools will open or close tomorrow, but parents are advised to stay tuned to the news and media outlets for updates for tomorrow, Thursday, June 4^th, 2015.

The rainfall caused a number of homes to be flooded including properties on Fiddlers Way, East End, Rum Point Drive, North Side and in parts of George Town.

Emergency Services in North Side responded to reports of flooding on the Rum Point Road where at least 4 homes were affected and some residents were evacuated from their properties.

The North Side Community Emergency Response Team assisted the flood victims with sand bags and other CERT teams performed checks within their respective communities.

Shelters at the North Side Civic Centre, East End Civic Centre and the Red Cross Shelter on Huldah Avenue were open and ready to receive persons, however by 3 pm on Wednesday no one had checked in as yet.   The Red Cross planned to remain open until 10 pm, however at 5 pm the other shelters closed for the night, but they remain on standby, ready to reopen if there is a need for them.

The National Weather Service maintained the severe weather alert on Wednesday evening and continued to advise residents in low lying areas to take remedial actions if their properties were affected by flood water and they also encouraged residents adjacent to the flooded areas to take necessary precautions to prevent water intrusion into the properties.

Satellite images show extensive multi-layered clouds across the NW Caribbean with scattered showers, some of which will be heavy and accompanied by thunder as confirmed by weather radar images. The area of cloudiness and showers is moving slowly toward the east to northeast, and it is expected to linger over the Cayman area for the next few days.

Although residents over the Sister Islands have not experienced a significant rainfall accumulation, the forecast over the next few days calls for the system to drift towards them. This motion will increase the Sister Islands chances of flooding of low-lying area over the coming days and residents should continue to monitor the weather.

Boat operators are urged also to take precautions when operating over open waters as high gusts within periods of heavy rainfall will make the seas rough.

The National Roads Authority is currently blowing out of drains and this work will continue on Thursday. The Public Works Department has dispatched emergency crews to work on building leaks and sand bagging doors.

Motorists are encouraged to exercise extreme caution on the roads due the accumulation of water.

HMCI has informational resources about flooding on the website Cayman Prepared, or alternatively you can stop by Hazard Management in the Government Building if you don’t have access to a computer or the internet.

An effective, method of preserving property in a flood is to raise furniture and appliances up on concrete blocks.

For the latest weather advisory go to www.weather.gov.ky;

For Additional Information Please Contact Simon Boxall at [email protected] or 526-2027.

Severe Weather Alert

June 3, 2015 From Hazard Management

Due to the weather system affecting the Cayman Islands, there have been the reports of flooding in a few communities in North Side, George Town and Bodden Town.

The Fire Services and RCIPS have responded to the houses that have been affected. The North Side Shelter and the Red Cross Shelter on Huldah Avenue, George Town will officially open at 12:00 Hrs. (Noon) to assist persons that need shelter. Shelter Managers are asked to be on standby, ready to be called up for duty if necessary.

The National Weather Service has indicated that there has been an interaction between a surface trough over the western Caribbean and an upper level trough over the Gulf Mexico, and over the past 24 hour period this has produced rainfall accumulations in excess of 5 inches as measured at the Owen Roberts Airport. These figures more than doubled the forecast estimates and has led to widespread flooding across the Cayman Islands with higher figures concentrated over certain parts of Grand Cayman.

The latest forecast information still indicates that rainfall figures of near 2+ inches in a 24 hour period can be expected across the Cayman Islands for the next three days. This will add to the already flooded areas and may begin spreading to adjacent areas. Residents should take precautions to prevent flooding, (details are available on the Cayman Prepared website or at the HMCI office on Elgin Avenue) and seek alternative shelter arrangements if there house is flooded.

Motorists should exercise extreme caution on the roads due the accumulation of water.

An effective, method of preserving property in a flood is to raise furniture and appliances up on concrete blocks. Unplug all appliances before a flood.

HMCI has informational resources about flooding on the website Cayman Prepared or you can stop by Hazard Management in the Government Building if you don’t have access to a computer or the internet.

For the latest weather advisory go to www.weather.gov.ky;

For Additional Information Please Contact Simon Boxall at [email protected] or 526-2027

Flooding

From RCIPS Wed, Jun 3, 2015 at 11:31 AM

Due to the inclement weather conditions over the Cayman Islands over the last 24 hours, flooding in some areas of Grand Cayman have been seen. Anthony Drive, in George Town is impassable with flood waters in areas and motorist is advised to use alternate routes to avoid this area. Yeats Street and Sitwell Streets, in Belford Estates, Bodden Town have also reported flooding and areas of Hurst Road, North Sound Estates and Shamrock Road near the Lime Exchange is affected.

Reports of stalled vehicles have been received in George Town and motorist in low profile vehicles are discouraged from driving through flooded roads, simply turn around and try another road that is safer.

The Emergency Services in North Side is responding to reports of flooding on the Rum Point Road where at least 4 homes have been flooded. Residents there are being evacuated and residents are also asked to stay off the roads unless it is necessary. The National Weather Service is forecasting at least another 2+ inches in the next 24 hours.