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| This post may not be of the forecasting nature, but if I can help just one person maybe its worth it: Having been on the ground during Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico a word of advice to any Jamaicans who may be reading this: I know you can't leave, its an island, but you can probably find friends and family with a home with a concrete roof and walls. Go there. Find an interior room. Make sure it isn't in a low lying area (places that don't usually flood will flood). Get canned food and water now - don't think you can wait until after. Don't forget to get your meds. Have a backup plan if you rely on meds that need to be refrigerated. The worst part is afterwards. No power means ATMs don't work. Groceries can only take cash and many people will hoard. Have some cash on hand and food and water for not just a couple of days, but a couple of weeks (It's an island). So get your food and water now, don't wait until the cupboard is bare. Fill your propane tank and fill your car. The first day or two everyone is our helping clear debris and being good citizens. By about day five people start to fend for themselves. No comms: Cell towers that haven't fallen have run out of fuel for their generators. It's hot and humid and people are cranky, there isn't cash and you can't run credit cards (no power or comms) so people will start to misbehave. If you have fuel and a generator or other supplies, don't flaunt them. Drive sparingly, save fuel. It will be slow getting ports back up and running, so supplies will be slow to arrive (it's an island). Prepare for many weeks of no power. Many weeks (not days). Possibly a lack of running water as well. Don't wade into standing water (My house didn't flood, but I got a skin infection walking to my house because sewage eventually mixes with the standing rainwater). I know this sounds kinda end of times-ish but modern people don't realize how dependent we are on tech (electricity, communications, refrigeration, ATMs and card terminals) and its really hard to get basic needs met unless you have a core group of friends and family, especially for people with special needs. Good luck.   |