The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) yesterday urged persons who have been affected by Hurricane Dean to hold strain as relief supplies are on the way.

However, ODPEM says the critical areas will be dealt with first.

Ronald Jackson, director general of ODPEM, said distribution of food supplies had been carried out in sections of Manchester, Clarendon and St. Catherine. Through the assistance of the Jamaica Defence Force, the ODPEM was also able to get supplies to some communities that have been cut off.

"We will be working at dealing with the priority areas first, and we will endeavour to get to all those other communities which may be secondary on the list," Mr. Jackson told reporters yesterday at a press conference held at the ODPEM's offices in Kingston.

"We understand that everybody who has been affected has a need, but we must address the priority needs because of the challenges which they pose," he added.

Clarendon communities

Mr. Jackson said communities on the Vere plains in Clarendon, which are secondary in terms of the impact to Portland Cottage, would be serviced today.

"We anticipate that by the end of the weekend, we would have made a significant dent in the level of suffering or discomfort in those areas," said Mr. Jackson.

The ODPEM director general said by Tuesday a preliminary estimate on damage assessment would be available.

Mr. Jackson said the most severely affected areas were Bull Bay and Caribbean Terrace in the Corporate Area; Old Harbour Bay in St. Catherine; and Rocky Point and Portland Cottage and other sections of the Vere plains in Clarendon.

The ODPEM head said 58 shelters accommodating 1,293 persons remained open in nine parishes.

In her remarks, Faith Innerarity, chief technical director in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, said cash grants were being prepared for PATH beneficiaries and pensioners.

Jaslin Salmon, chairman of Red Cross, said, in addition to delivering supplies to affected areas, his organisation was also providing counselling for persons who had been affected by the hurricane.