Low-pressure system could become first storm

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Monday June 6, 2011 – A broad low-pressure system about 150 miles southwest of Jamaica has some potential to become the first storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, but even before it reaches that stage, the rains it’s producing have caused major flooding in two Caribbean islands and resulted in the death of one man.

The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami said this morning that there was a 40 percent chance of the system developing into a tropical cyclone by tomorrow.

A hurricane hunter is scheduled to investigate the system tomorrow.

“Regardless of development (of the system), heavy rains could cause flash floods and mudslides over portions of Haiti and Jamaica as the system moves slowly towards the northwest or north over the next couple of days,” the NHC said.

The two countries have already been getting heavy rains associated with the low-pressure system.

One death so far

There was flooding across Jamaica yesterday, with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) reporting a suspected drowning at Bob Marley Beach, Nine Miles Bull Bay.

The victim was one of two men in a fishing boat trapped by the flood waters. The other man was rescued and taken to hospital.

Several communities were also marooned by the flood waters.

The Meteorological Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for low-lying and flood prone areas of St Mary, Portland, St Thomas, St Catherine, Clarendon, Kingston and St Andrew.

A statement from the ODPEM said the Ministry of Labour and Social and Security has been placed on standby in the event the rains persist into today and tomorrow.

Over in Haiti, the government and international aid groups evacuated 56 families from flooded areas after the country's largest lake, Lake Azuei, overflowed from days of heavy rains.

The Associated Press quoted an official with Haiti's Civil Protection Department, Nadia Lochard, as reporting that several other families chose to stay in their flooded communities because they either feared their possessions would be stolen or they needed to tend to livestock.

President Michel Martelly visited the flooded areas.