Hurricane Gustav: Update from the Cayman Islands
August 29, 2008
My name is John Cormack; currently based in the Grand Cayman and reporting for the Baiganchoka.com with updates on Tropical Storm Gustav in the Cayman Islands.
Across the Cayman Islands, employees were sent home on Thursday afternoon ahead of the storm’s expected arrival. The island is very gloomy, windy and has been experiencing torrential rainfall for the past few days.
The people are not going out right now. Workers are removing signs, bins, banners, outdoor furnitures, putting on shutters on their windows and securing enough water and food items. All stores are closed and will reopen until Tuesday. There are no tourists on the island, no cruise ships coming in, no one at the beach, evacuation at some hotels and no public transportation on the road. However, few residents are in chaos, trying to find a grocery store that is opened to do their last minute shopping. Most shelves at major grocery stores empty for the past week because everyone bought food items by the bulk while others complained about the increased prices.
The Owen Roberts International Airport [GCM] is now in full emergency mode, streamlining the departure check in process in tent facilities outside the terminal building. Cayman Airways added 25 extra flights to their schedules in an effort to evacuate tourists and residents wanting to get off the islands.
Tropical Storm Gustav is moving away from Jamaica and headed towards the Cayman Islands where it is expected to hit later this afternoon. Currently, maximum sustained winds are near 65 miles per hour, but strengthening is likely and forecasters predict Gustav could become a hurricane as early as today. A hurricane warning is in effect for the Cayman Islands. An island wide curfew could be issued if weather conditions start deteriorating.
The National Hurricane Center said Gustav had winds of 100 kilometers an hour. The center said the storm could produce more than half-a-meter of rain in some parts of Grand Caymans. If Gustav becomes a hurricane, it would happen three years after Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the city of New Orleans, killing hundreds and causing more than $100 billion in damage.
John
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2 Responses to “Hurricane Gustav: Update from the Cayman Islands”
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I am interested iftherewas any damage from Gustav in the Seven Mile Beach area as it was in 2004
Thanks
ted
We are staying at Lacovia this January
Hurricane Gustav major hit destroyed Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Grand Cayman was far off and just had the after effect - heavy rainfall, the electricity was out for few hours and about 2-3 inches of water.
Hurricane season is June to November, so you are safe. Enjoy your stay.