Generalized heavy rain accompanied by sustained wind gusts is currently observed over the country. Some departments of the country including the Northeast, Artibonite, Center, West and Southeast already have a 100% soil saturation. The passage of the system is confirmed over Haiti by heavy rains and sustained gusts and heavy seas, especially on the north coast of the country.

Tropical Storm Laura is currently moving over Haiti with a West-North-West track and a movement speed of 30 km/h. As a result, the weather conditions remain threatening as the system passes through today.

Forecasts of heavy torrential precipitation and very strong wind gusts are maintained over the entire national territory. The accumulations of rain can range from 100 to 300 mm over certain places, mainly in the South-East, Nippes, West and Grand-Anse as well as sustained gusts over Artibonite, North-East, North and the North-west of the country. As a result, risks of severe to extreme flooding, flash floods, landslides, mudslides and dangerous sea conditions are maintained over the country until this afternoon.

To this end, the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC), the SPGRD of concert with the UHM maintains this Sunday August 23, 2020 at 9 am (local time), the activation of the National Risk and Disaster Management Plan with a level of Red Vigilance (ie risk of impact of very violent to extremely violent intensity with prohibitions of unnecessary travel in order to leave free traffic to the authorities).

The Meteorological Prediction Center (CPM) of the Hydrometeorological Unit (UHM) in conjunction with the SPGRD and DGPC, OFNAC, AAN and SEMANAH announces to the population that flights and boats from or to ports and airports in the northern region of the country, in particular Cap-Haitien, are temporarily prohibited.

The SPGRD of concert with the UHM and the DGPC asks the Haitian population to exercise caution and stay tuned to weather reports from the UHM and also the authorities of their respective areas to know the behavior to adopt. on the occasion of the passage of this cyclonic event.

The Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities, the Permanent Secretariat for Risk and Disaster Management, together with the DGPC and the UHM, call on the Haitian population, in particular the inhabitants of areas at risk of flooding and ground movements, to vigilance. People living in high-risk areas could be called upon to move to safer places, to relatives or to temporary shelters already predisposed and equipped for this purpose, to get through the period of bad weather. Also, under these circumstances, the wearing of a mask, physical distancing and other barrier measures must continue to be applied to prevent the spread of contamination linked to COVID-19.

The SNGRD and all the State authorities concerned are already mobilized to support the population during the passage of the tropical storm and provide appropriate responses after the impacts.

For their part, residents are invited to scrupulously respect the safety instructions of the authorities and to listen to weather reports to preserve lives and property during the passage of the tropical storm.

HL/ HaitiLibre