2023-06-22 15:53:50
Martinique was placed on cyclone orange alert on Wednesday afternoon by Meteo France, before going into red vigilance this Thursday noon, as the tropical storm approaches. Bret, that’s his name, should make landfall in the late afternoon, with gusts of up to 150 km / h in the most exposed areas.
At around 5:30 p.m. local Wednesday (11:30 p.m. CET), the center of the tropical storm was 780 km east of Martinique and was moving at a maximum of 100 km/h with gusting winds of 120 km/h. . “Bret is strengthening a bit overnight and is expected to reach the Lesser Antilles as a strong tropical storm” on Thursday, warns the US National Hurricane Center.
In a press release on Twitter, the prefecture of Martinique mentions the collective measures taken on the island: economic activity is stopped, public transport no longer circulates, large gatherings are prohibited, as well as trips to the sea.
“The passage window of the center of Bret is between Thursday at the end of the afternoon and the night from Thursday to Friday”, indicates Météo France. The most likely area of passage of the center of the storm is between the south of Martinique and the island of Saint-Vincent, according to the institute.
“Storage of food and (of) miscellaneous equipment”
At the peak of the event, the average wind will blow between 60 and 70 km/h over the northern half of Martinique, and between 70 and 90 km/h on average over the southern half. The gusts can reach 100 to 120 km / h and locally 150 km / h in the most exposed areas, according to the same source.
According to the prefecture’s public information unit, which answers the phone, the phenomenon is expected around 6 p.m. local time, and the alert was launched early enough to allow residents to return home. The roads are not closed, to allow everyone to organize themselves. However, the advice remains to travel only in case of emergency.
The state of the sea will begin to deteriorate at the end of the night from Wednesday to Thursday, forecasts Météo France. Average troughs could reach 3 to 4 m, locally 5 m on the Atlantic seaboard and in the Dominica channel, and up to around 6 m in the Sainte-Lucie channel. Cumulative rainfall may “locally reach 200 mm”, according to Météo France.
The Rectorate of Martinique has ordered the closure of schools for the day of Thursday as well as the postponement of exams. Inter-island and coastal shipping was suspended as of Wednesday evening.
The actions to follow according to the prefecture
On Twitter, the prefect of Martinique explains the procedure to follow: you are asked to stay at home and prepare your home to protect property, bring in pets, keep informed of developments in the situation, especially if necessary. take the road, monitor the water level in flood-prone areas, notify loved ones in the event of travel.
???? The prefect activates the Public Information Unit in the prefecture starting today.
????️This Thursday, June 22 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
????At the following number: 0596 39 39 89 pic.twitter.com/kHfie2Tl6u— Prefect of Martinique (@Prefet972) June 22, 2023
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