Government officials have cautioned that putting an exact dollar figure on the damage caused by the recent severe flooding and landslides remains premature, as formal technical assessments are actively underway across the country.
Speaking during a national update following heavy rains brought by a tropical wave, Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday emphasized that his administration will refrain from issuing unverified estimates. Responding to questions regarding the expected financial toll, Prime Minister Friday stated that speculating on numbers prior to thorough evaluation would undermine credibility. “First, we do our work. We assess… It takes a little time for us to get a clear picture,” Friday noted, stressing that professional assessments are necessary to ensure assistance reaches those who need it most.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Major St Clair Leacock confirmed that the government and the Ministry of Finance are waiting on detailed technical reports from the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), engineers, and technicians to establish a comprehensive financial figure.
NEMO Acting Director Kenson Stoddard reported that three joint damage assessment teams—comprising representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Works, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Social Welfare, and NEMO—have been deployed to heavily affected areas.
Initial Costing Timeline: Preliminary costing of basic damage is expected early next week, to be followed by a deeper sectoral analysis evaluating long-term impacts on critical infrastructure.
Emergency Classification: The situation has been classified as a Level 1 emergency, indicating that response and recovery efforts are currently being managed using domestic national resources.
Immediate Financial Relief: The country received an initial contribution of $100,000 USD from Taiwan Ambassador Fan to support immediate cleanup and recovery operations.
Emergency management officials confirmed the following impact figures:
Verified Incident Reports: 154 incidents verified nationwide, including 74 flooding events, 37 landslides, and 18 retaining wall failures.
Housing and Displacement: 6 homes were completely destroyed, while up to 20 homes remain severely compromised. A total of 23 persons were displaced by the floodwaters, with 11 staying in an official shelter in Kells and 12 residing with host families.
Health and Public Infrastructure: 9 health facilities sustained flood impacts, including the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital and the Levi Latham Health Center.
Water Systems and Schools: Disruptions hit all main water supply systems. The Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) has restored 92% of services after trucking 60,000 gallons of water to affected communities and delivering bottled water to 16 schools. Primary and secondary schools reopened following a temporary closure, though severe flooding caused extensive property and furniture damage at the 7th Day Adventist Primary School in the Marriaqua Valley.
Commercial Impact: Commercial properties in central Kingstown, particularly between Heritage Square and Edmund Street, experienced heavy flooding and require structured business damage evaluations.
Government ministers reiterated that long-term recovery plans must prioritize climate resilience and structural engineering upgrades across drainage networks, bridges, and housing developments to mitigate future weather impacts.
