The Red Cross shelter in George Town opened its doors to residents in need of assistance Tuesday as severe weather continued to impact the Cayman Islands.
The Ministry of Education has also ordered all schools closed as winds and rough seas batter the islands.
The shelter, located at 34 Huldah Avenue across from the Farmers Market, has been opened and residents are being encouraged to visit www.redcross.org.ky for more information about shelters in their community.
The western side of Grand Cayman was battered by heavy waves and gale-force winds overnight Monday and into Tuesday morning that damaged roads, docks and piers.
Social media videos showed waves breaching the coastal road along George Town Harbour and water coursing along the main thoroughfare. Debris from damaged fences and chunks of tarmac floated in the street.
Over on Cayman Brac, there have been reports of flooding and severe damage to coastline businesses.
A severe weather warning was in effect Tuesday morning with residents advised to stay out of the water as powerful waves continued to pound the coastline.
The Ministry of Education, in a brief statement Tuesday morning, said the decision to shut schools until further notice was taken “due to the adverse weather conditions”.
Education Minister and Premier Juliana O’Connor Connolly said the closures were issued “with the safety and well-being of all of our students, teachers, and staff as the utmost priority”.
“Parents and guardians are advised to stay tuned to the official Cayman Islands Government platforms at www.gov.ky and the Ministry of Education’s social media pages for further updates and developments as they occur,” the ministry statement added.
The high pressure behind a cold front that moved east of the Cayman Islands overnight, is producing gale-force winds over the jurisdiction, the National Weather Service said in its latest bulletin Tuesday morning.
A gale warning and a marine warning remain in effect for all three islands as the rough weather conditions persist.
O’Connor-Connolly, in her statement, urged all residents to remain indoors Tuesday when possible and take every necessary precaution.
“The rough seas will continue throughout the day. The Royal Cayman Islands Police have closed a significant portion of Watering Place Road in Cayman Brac and further road closures on all three islands can be expected,” she added.
Emergency response teams are actively monitoring the situation, and are prepared to provide assistance as needed, the premier said.
“Let us therefore all work together to ensure the safety and security of our community,” O’Connor-Connolly said.
Road and air travel
Seafarers Way has been closed to the public due to the rough sea conditions in Hog Sty Bay.
The rough seas have strewn debris along the waterfront as waves pounded the coastline.
The RCIPS has advised that North West Point Road in the vicinity of Cracked Conch, the junction of North West Point Road/Town Hall Road, Eastern Avenue/North Church Street, Bodden Road, Mary Street and Boilers Road have all been closed to vehicular traffic Tuesday.
Police have also warned against removing the established barricades.
“Persons removing or pulling aside police barricades will be arrested if you are found to be obstructing police in the execution of their duties. These barricade are put in place for the safety of the general public. Do not remove them,” the RCIPS said in an advisory Tuesday.
The National Weather Service says marine conditions are forecast to be extremely rough.
Wave heights of 5 to 7 feet are expected on Tuesday as well as west-to-northwesterly winds at 15 to 20 knots with higher gusts.
The Cayman Islands Airports Authority has issued a notice that the Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman and the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport on Cayman Brac will suspend operations if wind gusts exceed 34 knots.
Cayman Airways is monitoring the weather across Cayman very closely as it relates to flight operations for Tuesday, which would also impact flights to and from Little Cayman.
“At this time, flights are operating as scheduled, but if the noted airports temporarily close this morning, affected CAL passengers travelling today will be notified as soon as possible, and updated periodically via the email address provided at the time of booking, as information becomes available with regards to flight delay,” a CAL statement said Tuesday.
Government has recommended that the public continue to refrain from engaging in any in-water activities on all three islands, stay well back from the shoreline, and ensure that marine vessels remain in safe harbour and secured until further notice.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
For the latest information on storm activity in the Cayman Islands, visit Storm Centre.
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