The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia

AS winds of about 50mph batter Long Island on Wednesday afternoon, electricity has been disconnected throughout the island and residents are bracing for the storm's more dangerous features.

Island administrator Terrece Bootle-Bethel told The Tribune shortly after 3pm that the island had not yet began to experience a heavy downpour of rain, though intermittent rain began long ago.

"We've had some falling trees but not too much concern there," she said. "As we go into the night we expect an acceleration in terms of the conditions."

Last year's Hurricane Joaquin remains a traumatic experience for many on the island. Those residents are not taking Hurricane Matthew lightly. "We've gotten a favourable response from residents told to evacuate low-lying areas," Mrs Bootle-Bethel said. "We had one or two who were persistent in not moving but generally we have as close to 90 per cent or more co-operating with us."

People who remained in their low-lying homes during Joaquin watched as flood reached their roofs.

"A repeat of such an experience was not something they were looking forward to at all," said Mrs Bootle-Bethel. "At last count, about we have about 124 people in shelters and that's eight shelters spread throughout the island."

With electricity now out, Mrs Bootle-Bethel hopes to maintain communication with those around the island, especially the shelters.

"We don't know what to expect with telecommunications," she said. "For now we able to check on shelters and police are able to safely move about to check on the safety of persons and do last minute preparations. We have to maintain contact through the duration of the storm."

Even as residents braced themselves for the storm's greatest impact, news began to spread that Hurricane Matthew would not be as catastrophic for Long Island as last year's Joaquin was.

"We don't expect to be hit as hard this time," the island's MP Loretta Butler-Turner said.