Heavy torrential rainfall from a passing tropical wave continues to pound St. Vincent and the Grenadines, triggering widespread flooding, road-blocking landslides, and severe community disruption across the island.
Overnight downpours inundated key public infrastructure, including the country’s primary medical facility, while trapping families in their homes, forcing school closures, and obstructing critical transit corridors into the capital city of Kingstown.
The intense deluge severely impacted the island’s main health facility, the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in Kingstown. Floodwaters penetrated the facility overnight, forcing health officials to prepare for the suspension of several hospital services as cleanup and damage assessments get underway.
In central Kingstown, floodwaters that submerged several major thoroughfares overnight began receding by Tuesday morning. However, significant hazards remain, with heavy debris and sludge left scattered across Lower Bay Street and adjoining commercial zones.
Emergency responders and local authorities received reports of severe community damage in Buccament, where heavy flooding and accumulated debris reportedly trapped at least two families inside their homes.
In response to the deteriorating weather conditions and ongoing safety hazards, the Ministry of Education announced that all schools across St. Vincent would remain closed on Tuesday to ensure student and staff safety.
Multiple landslides and waterlogged roadways reported early Tuesday morning:
Fair Hall Road: A major landslide occurred just before Hill Top Church, making vehicular passage through the area extremely difficult.
Sally Spring and Frenches Routes: The main road in the Sally Spring Bus area leading directly into Kingstown was rendered impassable, along with the connecting road running from Sally Spring through Frenches.
Level Garden: Local residents reported an additional landslide blocking access early Tuesday morning.
According to a 72-hour weather bulletin issued on Monday evening by Meteorological Forecaster Gregory Cato at the St. Vincent Meteorological Services, the tropical wave will maintain unstable atmospheric conditions across the archipelago through Tuesday.
Weather forecasters advise residents and motorists residing in areas prone to flash flooding and landslides, or those living near rivers and streams, to remain vigilant and exercise heightened caution.
Despite the unstable weather and localized damage, meteorologists confirmed that no formal weather or marine advisories or warnings were officially in effect at the time of the update.
