ODPEM monitoring western parishes

The Office of the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) says it’s closely monitoring the situation in western parishes as these sections of the island are expected to be greatly impacted by Tropical Storm Richard.

The Director General at the ODPEM, Ronald Jackson, says the agency’s teams have been on alert since the passage of tropical storm Nicole.

As such, Jackson says mechanisms remain in place to provide emergency services such as evacuation and shelter.

He says several communities in western Jamaica remain heavily saturated and these conditions are expected to be further impacted by the ongoing rainfall.

Jackson says while the ODPEM has not received reports of emergencies, the agency is advising residents in low-laying and flood prone area to be ready to take quick action in the event of flooding.