Dean does little damage, so far

eTN/Hurricane Dean is yet to unleash its fury and the worst is yet to come, scientists tracking the path of the hurricane fear. They predict Dean will gain strength and may ploughed into Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula as a rare Category 5 storm this week.

As Hurricane Dean pounded on Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on Sunday, Meteorologists are predicting it will gain strength and may ploughed into Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula as a rare Category 5 storm this week.

Residents in affected areas are lining up in supermarket for batteries, flashlights, canned tuna, rice and water, as tourists flocked to airports in hopes of fleeing from the Dean. “If we don’t manage to leave we’ll go back to the hotel and barricade the hotel room and then hope and pray,” Dutch tourist Gideon Tuttezs told Reuters, as he waited in a standby queue to fly out of Jamaica’s Montego Bay.

As of Sunday, Cayman islands and Jamaica are under hurricane watch, while are under and tropical storm warnings for parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Mexico’s Yucatan, Belize, and Cuba.

The US National Hurricane Center reported that said the eye of the hurricane was about 295 miles east southeast of Kingston at 2:00 AM on Sunday and was expected to be near Jamaica or to make landfall as an exceptionally dangerous storm, according to published reports. It added that Dean could gain strength and become "a rare and potentially catastrophic Category 5" when it makes landfall in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

So far, the only confirmed death is that of a 16-year-old Haitian. Dominican Republic officials said the girl was swept out to sea after Dean sent 18-foot waves onto its southern beaches.

Scientists tracking Dean's path estimate it will slam into Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula early in the week and then churn it way to the northern Mexico coast, prompting Mexican authorities to order residents on the Caribbean coast to evacuate.

Out of danger
In Barbados, Hurricane Dean passed approximately 100 miles north of the island Thursday night, dumping just a few inches of rain on the island. Grantley Adams International Airport, which was closed for a twelve-hour period for precautionary reasons, reopened by 9:00 AM on Friday, flights resumed shortly thereafter. Hotels across the island remain open and no damage was experienced in the accommodation sector.

Officials said all relevant agencies were put in a state of readiness to ensure the safety and well being of both visitors and locals. "I was very happy to see our hurricane preparedness plan kick in like clockwork," president and CEO of the Barbados Tourism Authority said. "Clearly Barbados was well equipped to handle the situation had we been more seriously affected."

Meanwhile, AIG Travel Guard, a US-based travel insurance provider, said its travel “hotlines” heated up as Hurricane Dean churned its way towards the eastern Caribbean. “Our LiveTravel call center has been fielding calls from travelers concerned with flight status, possible flight and hotel cancellations/arrangements, and travel insurance coverage,” Dan McGinnity, vice president for Travel Guard, said.

Travelers heading to destinations prone to hurricanes should consider purchasing insurance. “It’s wise to have a travel insurance plan that includes emergency travel services at your disposal," McGinnity added.

A good travel insurance may include coverage for trip cancellation, travel interruptions and delays, emergency medical expenses, medical evacuation expenses, and lost or delayed baggage, as well as 24-hour travel emergency service for emergency medical assistance, last-minute or emergency travel changes, lost luggage tracking and pre-trip travel advice.

With an active hurricane season forecast for the Atlantic basin in 2007, experts foresee Hurricane Dean as part of an increase in probability of major US hurricane landfalls this year. Some 15 named storms and eight hurricanes were predicted to form in 2007, and a total of 35 hurricane days — almost double the average of 24.5 — were forecast for this year.

August 20, 2007   Posted in: Caribbean