Tropical Storm Nicole: Death Toll Rises

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KINGSTON, JAMAICA (GaeaTimes.com)- After the Tropical Storm Nicole caused widespread disruption in large parts of Jamaica on Wednesday, emergency officials in the island nation are trying their best to bring the situation under control and restore normalcy as soon as possible. Officials have divulged that the storm has triggered flash floods and mudslides due to which the death toll in Jamaica has increased to five while the whereabouts of as many as 14 people are still unknown. In the United States, the storm has already claimed around four lives.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center has divulged that the Tropical Storm Nicole is likely to take the shape of a hurricane on the U.S. Atlantic Coast spanning across the Carolinas to New England. Despite the fact that Nicole was categorized as minimal tropical storm for just about six hours on Wednesday, it was able to result in extensive damage across the island nation of Jamaica. While an estimated 170,000 houses remained without electricity owing to disruptions caused by the storm in the electrical networks, most of the schools across the island nation were shut on Thursday. At the same time, it seems unlikely that the situation would take a brighter turn soon as intermittent rains that Jamaica has been witnessing is increasing the threat of more landslides across the island nation.

On Wednesday, the actual extent of the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Nicole was inspected by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who later told the reporters that the recovery from the damage would ‘cost a significant amount of money”. Forecasters have said that the storm is now making its way to the east coast of America.