Caribbean Times 5th Issue - Friday 30th September 2016

14 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Friday 30th September 2016
Work resumes in Dominica after
storm but PM urges caution
ROSEAU, Dominica – Even as
large portions of Dominica remained
without power on Thursday after Tropical
Storm Matthew passed, Prime
Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced
that business and government agencies
would resume operations as normal today.
Schools, however, remain closed
for the rest of the week to ensure the
safety of the island’s children, he said.
“We don’t want to have a situation
where we have our children at school
and the after effects of the rain manifests
themselves and our students find
themselves in difficulties,” Skerrit explained
on the state-owned DBS Radio
this morning.
As for those heading to work, the
Prime Minister urged them to exercise
caution.
“We have received a tremendous
CASTRIES, St. Lucia
– Thousands were without
electricity in St. Lucia, rivers
overflowed their banks,
and several communities
were flooded last night and
into today.
And Tropical Storm Matthew
which passed through
the Windward Islands
Wednesday is to blame.
A tropical storm warning
that was issued late yesterday
morning after the storm
developed was lifted, and
the all clear given.
The George F.L. Charles
Airport was scheduled to
reopen at 8 a.m., while the
Hewanorra International
amount of rain and also wind. Therefore,
we are asking for people to be
cautious and careful as they move
around doing their own business. Because
of the level of saturation which
the soil has, one can expect land slippages,
erosions, landslides, mudslides
and the like.”
The tropical storm warning that had
been in place for Dominica, along with
five other Caribbean islands has been
discontinued.
But Skerrit noted that forecasters
expected rain throughout the course of
the day and the weather situation would
therefore be monitored.
Also speaking on radio, public relations
officer of the Dominica Electricity
Services Ltd (DOMLEC) Adina Bellot-Valentine
confirmed that there was
no power in the southern part of Dominica,
or in parts of the north, west, and
Flooding was reported all across St. Lucia.
Airport was set to resume er, people still need to exercise
caution. Persons should
operations two hours later.
However, residents have still try to remain home.
been urged to be cautious. Small craft operators should
“The threat from Matthew
is diminished. Howev-
Lucia Meteorological
not go out today,” the St.
Office
The Roseau River after Tropical Storm Matthew
east.
“As the weather eases up or as it
permits we will try to restore power as
quickly as possible,” she said, noting
that some high voltage lines and poles
were down.
Other damage reported as a result of
the storm’s passage was flooding and
landslides. (Caribbean360)
St Lucia reports flooding, power outages as storm impacts
advised.
Prime Minister Allen
Chastanet, who is overseas,
also appealed to citizens on
local radio to stay off the
roads and allow the emergency
services to do their
jobs.
Many bridges and roads
were impassable because of
flooding, as well as downed
electricity poles and trees.
Officials had indicated
early in the day that power
would be restored to most
areas by the end of the day.
There were also reports
of landslides as well as water
outages in some areas. (Caribbean360)