Message: Tropical Storm Matthew impacted CDEMA Participating States - Barbados, Dominica, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The ‘All Clear’ was issued for impacted States and Initial Damage Assessments and Needs Analysis (DANA) teams were deployed. No immediate needs have been identified by the impacted States at the time of this report. Given the projected path of TS Mathew there are now concerns for possible threats to Jamaica, Haiti, Turks and Caicos Islands and Bahamas.

EVENT:
Tropical Storm Matthew, the 13th named storm of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane season, was formed near the Windward Islands on September 28, 2016. TS Matthew impacted Barbados, Dominica, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday September 28, 2016.

On Thursday September 29, 2016 at 11:00 AM AST (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Matthew was located near latitude 14.2 North, longitude 66.3 West. Matthew is moving toward the west near 15 mph (24 km/h), and a general westward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected during the next couple of days.

PROGNOSIS:
Tropical storm conditions are expected to continue over portions of the Windward Islands through to Friday. Reports from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft indicated that maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph (110 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is expected during the next 48 hours, and Matthew is forecast to become a hurricane later today or tonight. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles (335 km) from the center. Rainfall associated with Matthew will begin to diminish across the Lesser Antilles this afternoon, with additional amounts of an inch or less expected. Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher amounts are expected over Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao through Saturday.

NATIONAL ACTIONS:

Barbados
The island received moderate to heavy rainfall and storm force winds beginning around noon on Wednesday (28/09/16) and continued until around 10:00 p.m.

The following report was provided by the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC):

• The Government of Barbados issued the All Clear at 5:45 a.m. on Thursday 29th September 2016
• The NEOC to be deactivated at 12:00 noon today (29/09/16)
• Reports of flooding in some areas and fallen trees and polls in some areas
• Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA) teams have been deployed
• All schools remain closed for today with the exception of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill (29/09/16)
• The public and private sectors resume normal operations this morning
• Public transportation resumed normal service from 10:00 a.m. (29/09/16)
• An After Action Review (AAR) is scheduled for Friday (30/09/16)

Needs
No immediate needs identified at this time.

Dominica
The island received moderate to heavy rainfall and strong winds of storm force strength beginning at 12:00 noon on Wednesday (28/09/16) and continued late into the night.

The following report was provided by the NEOC:

• The Government of Dominica issued the All Clear at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday 29th September 2016
• Flash flooding, landslides, blocked roads and down power lines reported across the island
• Some damage to residential roofs and agricultural areas
• All schools remain closed until further notice
• All private and public sector businesses that were suspended yesterday returned to normal operations today (29/09/16)
• Five (5) persons reported in shelters
• One (1) house totally destroyed
• All health facilities are functional
• Police and Fire services conducting patrol in their respected areas and providing reports
• Media products were distributed to update the nation including an address from the Prime Minister
• The NEOC remains activated to facilitate the response coordination for the impacted population

Needs
No immediate needs identified at this time.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines
The island experienced some road infrastructure damage, heavy rains, gusty winds and several rivers rising and overflowing. One (1) fatality was recorded as a result of TS Matthew.
The following was provided by the NEOC:

• The All Clear was issued at 11:00 a.m. today (29/09/16)
• NEOC remains activated
• All schools remain closed for the rest of the week
• Businesses reopened after the All Clear was given
• All health facilities remain open and functional
• Damage assessment, response and recovery teams have been deployed
• Police, search and rescue teams have been patrolling and providing status reports
• 288 persons are in shelters
• Press releases and public service announcements have been disseminated countrywide (including via social media)
• The Acting Prime Minister addressed the Nation twice over the period

Needs
No immediate needs identified at this time.

Saint Lucia
The island suffered major flooding in all quadrants overnight. Power outage has been reported in several communities across the island. The island continues to experience inclement weather conditions from the outer bands of the system.

• Power outages reported island wide
• The Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) treatment and distribution plants have been affected by the power outages
• All quadrants of Saint Lucia have reported some flooding overnight including Gros-Islet, Castries, Bexon, Dennery, Laborie Micoud, Choiseul and Vieux – Fort.
• Several roads blocked (some made impassable) in Castries, Gros Islet, Dennery, Soufriere
• Some reported damage to residential homes and businesses
• Two schools (Gordon and Walcott Memorial Primary) reported damaged. Dame Pearlette Louisy Primary school experienced some damage
• Four of the six shelters remain opened with 133 occupants
• Soufriere Hospital was relocated to the Environmental Health Building at Deliau Street, Wingsville following flooding.
• The airports and seaports are now open
• Damage assessment teams are now activated and have started the Damage Assessments and Needs Analysis (DANA)
• The road clearance crews are currently clearing roadways
• All schools remain closed today (29/09/16)
• The Acting Prime Minister issued four (4) statements on the situation between Tuesday and Thursday

Needs
No immediate needs identified at this time.

Grenada
Grenada has been monitoring and providing information notes since Monday September 26, 2016. The island experienced moderate to heavy rainfall during the night of September 27th especially to the north of the island. On September 28, there were overcast conditions with scattered showers.

• The NEOC has been stood down
• Public kept updated on situation through the media
• All district committees, shelter teams and national district committees remain on alert

REGIONAL ACTIONS:

1. The CDEMA Coordinating Unit has been monitoring TS Matthew and has initiated the following actions:

a. Maintained regular contact with impacted and threatened Participating Statesb. A joint press conference was held yesterday (28/09/16) by CDEMA and CIMH to provide a regional outlook on TS Matthew
c. An Operational Scenario and Plan was developed and shared with threatened Participating States and development partners for the Eastern Caribbean
d. Developed and shared a second Operational Scenario and Plan for ‘Hurricane Matthew’ for States threatened in the North Western Caribbean
e. Facilitated four (4) Briefings in collaboration with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) for the Eastern Caribbean Development Partner Group for Disaster Management (ECDPG-DM) and threatened States
f. A post impact meeting of the ECDPG-DM was held today (29/09/16) at the CDEMA CU. Approximately 35 members of the regional and international development partners participated face to face and virtually
g. Disseminated two (2) information notes to stakeholders
h. Regional response teams are on standby - CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU), CARICOM Disaster Response and Assessment Coordination Team (CDAC) and the CARICOM Operational Support Team (COST) and the Rapid Needs Assessment team (RNAT)
i. The Regional Security System (RSS) has been monitoring the passage of TS Matthew and informed that an RSS C26 aircraft is preparing to fly reconnaissance flights today (29/09/16) to assist in the evaluation of damage etc for Saint Lucia, Dominica and other Windward Islands countries as may be required
j. Preliminary impact assessments, based on current population data and project/actual impact were develop and these will be verified the initial situation overview

CDEMA continues to monitor the system and provide updates as necessary.

CONTACT DETAILS: The CDEMA CU 24-hour contact number 1(246) 434-4880