By Dionne Rose, Staff ReporterTHE OFFICE of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is reporting a reduction in the number of Jamaicans in shelters, with the latest figure being more than 600 persons in 27 shelters across the island.
This figure has declined from the 19,000 persons who were said to be in 358 shelters last week after Hurricane Ivan. Giving a breakdown of the figure, Nadene Newsome, senior director of information and training at the ODPEM said the parish of Clarendon had the lion's share of 207 persons in four shelters.
This is followed by St. Catherine and St. Thomas with 160 persons in nine and 11 shelters, respectively. The parish of St. James currently has 49 persons in three shelters while the Corporate Area of Kingston and St. Andrew has 45 persons in two shelters.
For the parish of Portland, 40 persons are in four shelters with Hanover accounting for 36 persons in two shelters and St. Elizabeth with 33 in three shelters. St. Mary has 20 in two shelters with Trelawny being the only parish without any shelters opened.
Miss Newsome attributed the decline to persons returning home. "We have been encouraging persons whose houses have not been severely affected to return home. Those who are still in shelters are those who don't have anywhere to return to or don't have any relatives or friends to stay with," she told The Gleaner yesterday.
ASSISTANCE
To date, some 58,000 persons have been assisted by the Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) during and after Hurricane Ivan. Persons have been assisted through relief supplies, disinfectants, water, and medical aides, Miss Newsome said.
The Gleaner also learnt that it was costing the Government approximately $500 per day to house each person in a shelter. This figure includes food and basic supplies.
For those communities that have been inundated such as Portland Cottage in Claren-don and Cave Valley on the border with Clarendon and St. Ann, Ms. Newsome said that counselling had been provided for them.
She said only 10 schools are still being used as shelters while another 10 were severely damaged by Hurricane Ivan and cannot be reopened immediately.
