Roseau, Dominica: Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica, urges the island populace to take all necessary precautions to protect their families and property as a tropical storm watch is issued for Dominica.
He recommended the Dominican citizens store food and necessary household items and be prepared for the tropical storm ‘Tammy’.
Additionally, PM Skerrit advised the residents to Stay informed on weather updates, keep windows and doors closed during the impact and avoid going outside the house when the storm is in effect.
On Wednesday, the tropical storm ‘Tammy’ was observed approaching westward from Central Tropical Atlantic, alerting several island countries, including Dominica.
Prime Minister Skerrit explained that a tropical storm watch means that there is a high possibility of a tropical storm arriving in Dominica, usually within 48 hours of the watch being issued.
The National Hurricane Centre emphasizes that ‘Tammy’ is moving quickly westward or west northwards toward the lesser Antilles at the speed of 23 mph (37 km/h).
According to the model guidance, the tropical storm is anticipated to begin affecting the Lesser Antilles on Friday, 20 October and Saturday, 21 October 2023.
Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening will be forecast in the upcoming days.
Following are the possible weather conditions which can be observed from Friday-
Increase in Wind speeds, forming tropical storm overnight (39 to 73 mph)
Increase in showers and thunderstorm activity with up to 50 to 200 mm of rainfall
Deterioration in sea conditions to begin from Friday, with a slight increase in waves up to 4.0 m/ 12.0 ft.
The Tropical storm is expected to cause multiple damages during the impact. Here is the list of possible damages that can be observed during the impact-
- Overflowing of rivers, gutters, and streams can cause floods in nearby areas
- Landslides and rockfalls due to heavy rainfall and strong winds
- Loose objects can become missiles in gusty winds
- People living near coastal areas will be affected most
The Dominica Meteorological Service promises to continue providing latest updates as they become available.
They urged the citizens to stay tuned and follow the guidelines provided by the disaster management department to tackle the effects of tropical storms. The storm Tammy is expected to affect most on October 20 and 21.
