Tropical Storm Mathew could delay elections in Curacao
GREAT BAY – Tropical Storm Matthew could throw a spanner in the works for the elections that are scheduled to take place tomorrow in Curacao. Yesterday, the storm was located 55 kilometers southeast of St. Lucia, moving west at 33 kilometers an hour. The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued a tropical storm warning for Guadeloupe and Martinique; similar warnings are in effect for Barbados, Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia.
The hurricane center warned Bonaire, Aruba and Curacao to follow the development of the storm closely.
At 5 p.m. yesterday afternoon the center of the storm was located 775 kilometers east-north-east of Curacao and the Netherlands issued a tropical storm warning for Curacao, Bonaire an Aruba.
The center of Matthew moved through the Windward Islands yesterday afternoon and continued its track over the eastern Caribbean Sea.
An Airforce hurricane hunter aircraft reported maximum wind speeds of 95 kilometers per hour with higher gusts. Matthew could become a hurricane by Friday.
Tropical storm force winds extend up to 335 kilometers northeast of Matthew’s center.
The hurricane center reported that tropical storm conditions would spread over the southern Leeward Islands and the northern Windward Islands yesterday afternoon and that these conditions would continue into the evening.
Matthew is expected to produce 4 to 8 inches of rain across the Windward Islands and the southern portions of the Leeward Islands. “These rains may produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides,” the hurricane center warned.
The hurricane center furthermore predicted rainfall of 1 to 2 inches farther to the north into the northern Leeward Islands, including the United States, the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
In Willemstad, the government seriously considered a possible postponement of the elections that are scheduled for tomorrow. During a press conference at the Meteorological Service, Prime Minister Ben Whiteman together with other ministers, announced that he is following the weather closely and that he prefers not to postpone the elections.
However, if push comes to shove, the government would discuss the inclement weather and take a decision.
“It is about safeguarding the lives of people and animals and about securing buildings,” Whiteman said on Tuesday.
The ministries of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning and Public Health, Environment and Nature announced emergency measures on Tuesday. Heavy equipment operators have been charged with cleaning trenches.
The ministry of traffic said in a press statement that the arrival of a tropical storm is uncertain, but that heavy rainfall and high-speed winds are expected.
