by Linda Straker
- National Emergency Advisory Council to determine impact of Wednesday’s adverse weather
- Businesses especially in the Grand Anse, Morne Rouge areas were flooded
- Reports of landslides, flooded homes and roadways and land slippages
The National Emergency Advisory Council is set to meet this morning to determine the extent of the impact of the adverse weather condition Grenada experience on Wednesday in which 152.8 millimetres of rain was recorded at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA) meteorological office.
“Initial assessments have already started, and these are being conducted by district coordinators in the various areas. However, the formal impact assessment will be done by the Ministry of Works in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance,” said Sylvan McIntyre, Acting Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA).
The council comprises representatives from both the private and public sectors and it is expected that the impact on the private sector will also be included in the assessment. A number of private sector businesses especially in the Grand Anse, Morne Rouge areas were flooded from the out of control flowing water that converted roads into rivers.
The Grenada National Stadium flooded with most of the water coming from the St John’s River which is located in close proximity.
“The meeting will provide us with a clearer picture of the situation across the island because we have all our coordinators doing the assessment,” he said, explaining that the organisational structure of NaDMA is such that in the immediate of any national disaster, the district coordinator plays that important of role in district assessment.
On Wednesday, a tropical wave that was interacting with the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), bought heavy rains and thundershowers across the island for more than 7 hours. Though the airport recorded the 6 inches of rain, it is expected that the interior of the island received significantly more.
McIntyre said that NaDMA received several reports of landslides, flooded homes and roadways and land slippages from throughout the island but there was no loss of life.