JUTC bus services paused due to Melissa

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) has suspended its services amid Hurricane Melissa and is now in emergency mode.

At the same time, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz has lamented the low take-up for evacuation in vulnerable communities.

Speaking at a special press briefing Monday morning, he said teams at the Rockfort, Spanish Town and Portmore JUTC depots and all five school bus regions are now on standby for emergency evacuation.

He said the state-run entity has responded to several calls since Saturday and noted that at 11:00 a.m. today the number of persons evacuated totalled almost 150.

"So there has been an uptick, but way [below] what is required for a category five hurricane. Only one person in Port Royal, 42 in Tower Street/Rae Town, 50 in Rocky Point/Portland Cottage, and Parottee and Sandy Bay [in St Elizabeth] 55," he said.

"I want to make an appeal... regardless of where it enters and where it exits, there is going to be massive flooding as a result of the surge that is going to require persons to relocate from their existing locations. So again, I can only add to the call, but advise you to listen to the government, or should I say, if you don't want to listen to the government, listen to Evan [Thompson]," he warned.

- Kimone Francis

We want to hear from you! Email us at star@gleanerjm.com and follow @thejamaicastar on Instagram and on X @JamaicaStar and on Facebook: @TheJamaicaStar, or on Whatsapp @ 876-550-2506.