Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – Members of the EOC cheered by the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Silveria Jacobs met virtually on Saturday. The purpose was to provide the nation an update in connection with the expected passage of Tropical Storm Grace.
During the National update, the members of the EOC namely Head of the Meteorological Department, and Joseph Isaac of the Met Office and Emergency Coordinator Clive Richardson, reminded residents to finalize their preparations pending the arrival of Tropical Storm Grace.
Tropical Storm Grace formed around 5 a.m. Saturday morning from Tropical Depression Seven. Grace remains small but got a little better organized overnight. Maximum sustained winds are about 45 miles per hour and it is racing off to the west at 23 miles per hour.
At 2 pm, Tropical Grace was 310 miles East South East of Sint Maarten.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs urged residents to do the necessary preparations to safeguard themselves.
“Today, Saturday, August 14th, we have tropical Grace heading towards the Leeward Islands, which includes Sint Maarten. The country is under a Tropical Storm warning and based on the approach of the storm, residents should be finalizing preparations for Tropical Storm conditions by the end of today, the Prime Minister said.
According to the Prime Minister, Tropical Storm Grace is a bit stronger, and therefore, it is expected to make the necessary preparations, as weather conditions can change quickly.