Message From the Embassy

Warden Message No. 121: Hurricane Tomas
Sunday, October 31, 2010
U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince issued the following Warden Message on October 31, 2010:

This Warden Message is being issued to notify U.S. citizens residing in and traveling to Haiti that there is a high probability that Hurricane Tomas will bring hurricane force winds and heavy rains to Haiti in the coming week. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports Hurricane Tomas is currently a Category I hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90 MPH and hurricane force winds extending outward up to 40 miles. The hurricane’s general west-northwest motion at 9 mph is expected to continue through Sunday night followed by a turn to the west on Monday. Tomas is forecast to move across the eastern Caribbean Sea during the next couple of days.

Following the current NOAA tracking model, the hurricane eye is not expected to make landfall in Haiti earlier than Wednesday. However, tropical storm winds can extend outward up to 175 miles. U.S. citizens are encouraged to monitor hurricane status via the NOAA website at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov.

The U.S. Embassy will continue to monitor Hurricane Tomas’ track, and will issue updated messages. U.S. citizens are urged to locate shelter, monitor media reports, and follow all official instructions. U.S. citizens should carry their travel documents at all time (i.e. U.S. Passport, Birth Certificate, picture ID’s, etc.) or secure them in safe, waterproof locations. The Embassy also suggests that U.S. citizens contact friends and family in the United States with updates about their whereabouts.

Additional information on hurricanes and storm preparedness may be found on the Department of State’s “Hurricane Season-Know Before You Go” webpage, and on the “Natural Disasters” page of the Bureau of Consular Affairs website. Updated information on travel in the Haiti may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States and Canada, or from overseas, 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Please continue to monitor the Embassy’s website at http://haiti.usembassy.gov/service.html for updated information. Please consult the Country Specific Information for Haiti, available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.