Residents across Barbados are being advised to closely monitor the approach of Tropical Storm Danny towards the island chain.

Acting Director of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM), Kerry Hinds, issued this caution today as officials continue to monitor the tropical storm, which is now in the Atlantic, and could possibly become a hurricane by the end of this week.

???Recently, a lot of attention has been placed on earthquakes given the seismic activity. But, we must remember that we are still in the hurricane season and therefore must be prepared for the possibility of a system,??? Ms. Hinds said.

As a result, she is urging the public to ensure that they have their emergency kits, batteries, water, canned goods, and other emergency supplies on hand. Persons should also have emergency plans and important documents close by.??Meanwhile, the public is also encouraged to visit the DEM???s website for hurricane preparedness tips found here.

The Acting Director further stressed that persons should also ensure the safety of their elderly relatives and be aware of the emergency shelters closest to them. ???Don???t wait until it is too late to take precautions. Please remember, it only takes one system to cause disruption,??? Ms. Hinds stressed.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director at the Barbados Meteorological Service, Sonia Nurse, said that based on its present track, Tropical Storm Danny was expected to pass 218 miles north of Barbados around Sunday night into early Monday morning.

She explained that at 11:00 a.m. today, the centre of the system was located at 11.2 degrees North, 41.1 degrees West, and was 1, 385 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. It presently has winds of 50 miles an hour, and was moving west at 12 miles per hour.

In addition, tropical storm-forced winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the centre of the storm. ???Depending on the strength of the system when it passes, then we may possibly get some deterioration in sea conditions,??? she stated.

However, Ms. Nurse said that it was still too early to tell if the system would affect the island as feeder bands would have to be monitored.??Meanwhile, she urged residents to continue paying close attention to weather updates.??Make sure you have everything on your emergency list here and know what hurricane season means here.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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