Mandatory evacuation order issued for Old Harbour Bay as Hurricane Melissa intensifies

The order, which takes immediate effect, invokes powers under the Disaster Risk Management Act and mandates that all persons leave designated zones.

The evacuation order targets seven specific areas deemed most at risk from the powerful Category 5 hurricane: Port Royal in Kingston; Portland Cottage and Rocky Point in Clarendon; Old Harbour Bay in St. Catherine; and Taylor Land, Bull Bay, and New Haven in St. Andrew. The community of Riverton City in St. Andrew is also under the order.

The government's move escalates its response from the Disaster Risk Management (Declaration of Threatened Area) Order issued just days prior on October 24, which had placed the entire island on alert as then Tropical Storm Melissa churned towards Jamaica. The system has since undergone rapid intensification, strengthening into a major hurricane posing a severe threat to life and property.

"The Evacuation Order remains in force for as long as the Declaration of Threatened Area Order remains in force," the release from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) stated, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.

Emergency shelters have been activated in designated safe zones across the affected parishes. The Jamaica Defence Force and the Jamaica Constabulary Force have been mobilized to assist with the evacuation process and to maintain public order.

As the first bands of rain began to lash the coastline, the normally vibrant streets of Old Harbour Bay were a scene of controlled chaos. Plywood went up over windows, and the sounds of hammering mixed with the anxious voices of families deciding what to take and what to leave behind. Yesterday afternoon early warning system was triggered, a signal to residents that the sea level was rising and they need to evacuate immediately. And by late last night, amateur videos began circulating showing knee-high sea water flooding yards and streets of Jamaica’s largest fishing community. 

With Hurricane Melissa's fierce winds and potentially devastating storm surge forecast to slam the island within hours, the clock is ticking for the residents of Old Harbour Bay and other vulnerable communities to seek higher ground, leaving their homes to face the storm's fury.