Ulsterman caught up in Jamaica hurricane terror

Local & National

Monday, August 20, 2007

By Claire McNeilly

An Ulster scientist living in Jamaica last night described the chaos and fear among local people as Hurricane Dean hurtled towards the island.

Ralph Robinson - who was originally from Newmills, near Dungannon, but moved to Kingston 22 years ago - was last night fortressing his home against the category four storm.

The 50-year-old, a professor of parasitoloy at the University of West Indies, said that his family - Jamaican wife Sobeia (36) and children Kyle (11) and Caithlin (9) - have prepared for the worst.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph as the storm drew near, Mr Robinson said there was a general feeling of deep anxiety among local people.

"The mood is apprehensive, to say the least," he said.

"I'm standing outside in a store room looking at the torrential rain. Visibility is down to 300m. It's like a bad day in Northern Ireland, only much worse. Pretty soon winds of up to 150 miles per hour will hit the island. That is very destructive. Only another five miles per hour would make the storm category five, which is catastrophic."

He added: "I've done my best. I've boarded my windows. I hope my roof stays on. I don't expect to have bananas left - the trees will be destroyed, but I'll plant them again."

Prof Robinson said that some people were fleeing the island and those who were left had been panic-buying.

"The TV and radio are telling people to get under cover," he said.

"No-one is on the streets now and they've just cut the electricity. They brought the network down. The landlines soon won't work.

"There was no enforcement of evacuation, but people were strongly encouraged to leave. A number of shelters have been open across the country.

"There was a terrible rush at the supermarkets with people buying up sardines, pasteurised milk and anything that will see them through the days after it hits."

Mr Robinson recalled Ivan in 2004 - the strongest hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season that year - and said forecasters were predicting a similar situation.

"I've been through three hurricanes," he said.

"The first was Gilbert in 1988, when the eye passed right over the island. Not many Irishmen go through the eye of a hurricane and I'm one of them. This hurricane will be similar to Ivan, but the eye is expected to hit 30 miles south of the island, which is good news for everyone. If it was coming direct it would destroy everything in its way.

"The high winds will be the worst. This is a very, very fast hurricane. The wind is travelling at 17 miles per hour as opposed to four or five miles per hour, which means there will be a lot of wind and comparatively little rain.

"Afterwards, the problem will be road blockages and land slides."