Tropical storm 5 in effect, Caribbean nations under threat

The Potential Tropical Cyclone Five is 48W or approximately 1530 km east-southeast of Antigua. A tropical storm watch is in effect for several Caribbean regions and the citizens have been advised to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures.

As per the reports shared by Meteorological Service, at 5 pm of Sunday, the system was moving towards the west-northwest near 21 mph and this motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. The disturbance is also expected to move across portion of the Leeward Islands on Tuesday and is most likely to approach the US and British Virgin Islands Tuesday night.

Some strengthening has been forecasted and the system is expected to become a tropical storm by Monday. Along with that, the system has almost 80% chance of formation through the next 48 hours and 90% chance of formation within the next 7 days.

According to the details, the tropical disturbance will get a number when it becomes a tropical depression and a name when it develops into a storm. The next name on the list is expected to be Ernesto.

The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service shared that the regions such as Guadeloupe, St Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Saba, St Eustatius, St. Martin and Sint Maarten are under the threat of tropical storm. Moreover, there are currently no watches or warnings in effect for Trinidad and Tobago. And, for the same the authorities are continuing to monitor the area of disturbed weather.

The authorities of these respective nations have started implementing stringent measures in order to avoid the devastating effects of the storm. Also, they have strongly urged the residents to take immediate action in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the citizens, children and persons with disabilities.

There are certain steps that have been shared by the authorities to ensure the safety and security of all the citizens. The step includes,

• The citizens have been asked to stay indoors and secure their homes by locking windows and doors. Along with that, the citizens have also been asked to remove loose items from their yard and reinforce weak structures.
• The citizens have also been asked to prepare an emergency kit which should include essentials like water, non-perishable food, medications and flashlights. The authorities stated that the citizens should have enough supplies for at least 72 hours in cases of emergency or uncertain situations.
• The citizens are also told to keep in contact with their family members and neighbours. They have been asked to establish a communication plan and especially for those who might need extra help.