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Original poster

A palm tree has just been blown over outside my room

70 replies

prufrock · 17/08/2007 16:55

I'm in Nevis, and we are right on the edge of Huricane Dean. We've all been asked to stay inside as much as possible, beaches are closed, can't dive because all boats have been hauled out. The rain is horizontal, and the top half of Mount Nevis is invisible behind thick cloud. And this is right at the edge - poor St Lucia and Martinique have been caught at the centre

OP posts:
Blu · 20/08/2007 16:11

Yes, I would have been exhilarated, too - apart from the worry for people who weren't as lucky in being safe from it.

Ms Dix - I have just returned from a longish visit to a S Hemisphere (thus winter) tropical island for many of the same reasons as prufrock. was cloudy and rainy a lot of the time, but (MIL notwithstanding) calmer than Prufrock's experience.

How exciting: Prufrock in the Eye of the Storm...and MN-ing!

littlelapin · 20/08/2007 16:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WideWebWitch · 20/08/2007 21:30

Blu, were you in Mauritius? How lovely if so...

SenoraPostrophe · 20/08/2007 21:33

eeek, how scarey. were the dcs impressed? we had a normal storm the other day and mine were pie-eyed.

expatinscotland · 20/08/2007 21:35

Where is Nevis?

I hope Mexico gets it together and evacs all those people farther inland now.

That area is just as impoverished as anywhere else.

twinsetandpearls · 20/08/2007 23:51

While we were waiting for our much delayed plane at Sanford last night I was amazed that flights were still runnning to Mexico. Our flight which was no where near the hurricane was bumpy enough.

Original poster
prufrock · 21/08/2007 04:26

Nevis is next to St. Kitts - Northern end of the Lesser Antilles chain. Dc's loved it SP, especialy when the tree fell down.

Expat, I know what you mean. I hate that the focus in the Uk and America is on poor tourists whove had their holiday ruined, when all they've actually ahd ot do is hole up in inside luxury for a few days, wheras locals have sometimes lost their houses and boats, an therefore their livelihood.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 21/08/2007 09:00

Exactly, pru! It's hard to find news reports here about the locals and how they are affected. They need this like they need a hole in the head. Anyone who's been to any of these islands or the Yucatan and opens their eyes can see this.

How is it there today?

kiskidee · 21/08/2007 09:05

Northern Belize and the city of Chetumal are beginning to take the full force of Hurricane Dean. i'm listening to local radio the conditions are really really bad on teh outer islands at teh moment and will get worse in the next hr or 2. The sea is now washing right across one island on which i lived and worked.

Please pray for those of people who could not get off the islands and coastline for whatever reason. It is a category 5 storm now.

expatinscotland · 21/08/2007 09:07

Oh no!

I'm so sorry to hear this. Was hoping it would decrease in strength or strike a less-inhabited area or change course and fritter out in the Gulf.

kiskidee · 21/08/2007 09:07

most recent satellite view

kiskidee · 21/08/2007 09:10

i'm sitting here unable to tear myself away from listening to local radio on the net

kiskidee · 21/08/2007 09:38

"Exactly, pru! It's hard to find news reports here about the locals and how they are affected. They need this like they need a hole in the head. Anyone who's been to any of these islands or the Yucatan and opens their eyes can see this."

I totally agree. the eye is making landfall around now and some guy from the BBC (Mike Jarvis) just called the radio station i am listening to and he was totally clueless, judging by his questions.

oh, his call went live on air as that is pretty much what they do in national emergencies like this.

(they gave him the website address to listen in for himself.)

expatinscotland · 21/08/2007 09:44

I'm watching!

Oh, Mexico .

My dad just finally went to bed. He was staying up watching reports. He's a Mexican national.

expatinscotland · 21/08/2007 09:49

Dammit all the BBC is reporting on are the fucking 'holidaymakers' in Cancun. As if no one else lives there.

kiskidee · 21/08/2007 09:51

cancun is only 300 miles from landfall

Rhubarb · 21/08/2007 09:51

Cancun is going to be fine. It's Belize they are worried about.

kiskidee · 21/08/2007 09:54

i'm from belize rhu and i keep cying off and on this morning. its worse being away as when you are in it, you don't have time to worry and get upset. you just get on with it.

expatinscotland · 21/08/2007 09:56

Belize shares a border with Mexico, Rhu, and as the storm moves inland, it's going to heavily effect BOTH countries, which have been inundated with rain already this year.

This is horrible.

Kiz, are you able to get word on Belize's evacuation plans?

Rhubarb · 21/08/2007 09:59

I know, I'm keeping my eye on the BBC, but I feel like such a rubber-necker.

Agree about biased reporting. But luckily everyone has had plenty of warning so hopefully no lives will be lost and the aid agencies will have braced themselves to go in asap.

expatinscotland · 21/08/2007 09:59

This is jsut terrifying.

It's HUGE.

expatinscotland · 21/08/2007 10:00

Peoples' livelihoods and animals. Their crops.

Gawd, there's already so much poverty in these places.

callmeovercautious · 21/08/2007 10:01

Kiskidee - Hope any Family that you may have there will be fine - sounds like most places have taken this seriously and lots of preparations have been made.

x

kiskidee · 21/08/2007 10:07

0ver 10,000 evacuated from the main northern islands - so everybody who wanted to go. belize has a good national emergency plan and a network of hurricane shelters. voluntary evac began 2 days ago and compulsory, 24 hrs ago.

i feel for the security guards, police etc who stayed behind. one island where i lived will be in a very bad state after this has gone thru. it is really just a barrier island.

expatinscotland · 21/08/2007 10:08

Are people staying at all, kis?

My god, surely they need to evac entirely!

I hope the livestock has been evac'd as well.

This is peoples' livelihoods we're talking about when many are just scraping by.

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