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by Zhu Qingxiang
KINGSTON, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- After dumping heavy rain with strong winds over Leeward Islands and the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) Islands, Hurricane Matthew continued to gain strength and became a powerful Category 4 storm on Friday as it heads toward to Jamaica.
In a hurricane advisory issued on Friday evening, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Matthew gained strength at a remarkable rate on Friday as it moves across the open Caribbean with maximum sustained winds near 240 km per hour.
At 7 p.m. local time (0000GMT), the cyclone was moving toward the southwest at a speed of about 15 km per hour, centered near latitude 13.5 North, longitude 72.0 West which is close to the north coast of Colombia, according to the Miami-based monitoring body.
According to the forecast, the hurricane eye will turn northwards on Friday night, move across the central Caribbean Sea on Saturday, and close onto Jamaica late Sunday.
Matthew is currently a category 4 hurricane, which is the second-highest hurricane classification category on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Category 4 storms are considered extreme hurricanes with maximum sustained wind speed of 209-251 km per hour. Based on the Atlantic hurricane database, only less than 100 storms have attained this category since 1851.
As Matthew approaches, Jamaica is on high alert towards the inclement weather and the damage that might come with it.
Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie announced approximately 350 million Jamaican dollars (2.73 million U.S. dollars) is available in the country's National Disaster Fund for preparation and emergency response.
On Thursday, he told an emergency meeting called by the Prime Minister's Office that disaster committees have been activated and meetings have been convened at various levels to ensure that all stakeholders are prepared.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force has instructed for all divisions to nominate an officer to the respective parish disaster committees.
In light of the possible upsurge in crime when the country responses the disaster, Deputy Commissioner of Police Clifford Blake told a press conference on Thursday that special plans have been in place to handle break-ins and associated crimes during the hurricane-affected period.
The National Works Agency (NWA), in a press release on Friday, also reported that it has mapped the island and identified over 120 locations that are vulnerable to flooding, landslides and storm surges.
Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw said his agency will have equipment in those locations to ensure efficient responses.
Local mobile service operator Digicel said while the company has put its hurricane contingency plan into high gear, they have ensured that all 1,000 plus cell sites and fiber network serving residential and business customers across the island are in good order.
The hurricane has also raised alarms to local authorities as well as diplomatic representatives in Jamaica. Both the Canadian High Commission and the U.S. Embassy in the country on Friday announced their offices will be closed during the passage of Matthew.
The Canadian High Commission will be closed on Monday and reopen Tuesday unless further advised, while the U.S. embassy said it will not be open for business on either of the days.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Portia Simpson-Miller both issued statements urging citizens to pay close attention to the storm.
Holness advised the country's fishery workers to pay great attention to the hurricane warning, asking "everyone" to take the warnings seriously and to assist in the clearing of drains in communities to avoid potential flooding.
Matthew was formed on Wednesday morning near the Eastern Caribbean.
It passed through the Leeward Islands as a tropical storm on Wednesday afternoon, causing floods and power outages in Dominica and St. Lucia. At least one person was reported killed in St. Vincent.
While moving westwards, the cyclone continued to gain strength and became a hurricane on Thursday. It whipped the ABC islands on early Friday, closing government offices in Aruba and postponing Curacao's parliamentary elections into next week.
