Preparations for Hurricane Frances

Situation Report - 2 September, 2004

At 5pm, Thursday, 2 September, the eye of Hurricane Frances was over the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas. The Ministry of Health Command Center is fully operational. Staff from PAHO and the Ministry of Health are at the Center.

Clinics in the southern islands are being individually contacted to evaluate damage to health infrastructure.

At 2 pm. in Inagua, 30 persons were reported in shelters; tropical storm winds were present; electrical power had been restored, no major damage was reported.

In the Long Islands, shelters are open; in the Crooked Islands, there was no telephone service.

In Mayaguana, 68 persons were evacuated to shelters; there was significant damage to roofs and power lines; a storm surge of 15 feet and damage to the port.

In Turk and Caicos Islands, no major damage reported; however telephone lines to Grant Turk are still down.

Two PAHO staff on standby in Jamaica to travel to Bahamas on the first available flight.