Rains…flooding…thunder…lightning compounded to create a disastrous day for the entire island of Grenada on Wednesday 2 August 2018, with over 10 inches of rainfall reported by the Meteorological Office.

What started off as an ordinary rainy morning with scattered showers, soon turned into a torrential downpour of rain resulting in severe flooding around Grenada causing damage to people’s properties and resulting in the loss of one life in the south of the island. Many of the nation’s roads became impassable as rivers, drains and ravines overflowed their banks, and waters washed away and charged everything in its path.

During the course of the day and after receiving multiple reports of landslides, land slippages and rockfalls, the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) disseminated a release alerting the public of a Tropical Wave that was interfering with the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The release stated that Grenada and its dependencies were not under any tropical cyclone watch or warning, but persons were still urged to stay indoors and secure themselves and their properties as much as possible.

Grenadians used the opportunity to call in on radio and television stations, make Facebook videos and take photos of their specific locations. While some were seen in the south of the island literally skiing in the flooded areas of Morne Rouge, some were desperately calling for assistance as they remained trapped in the workplaces and homes.

Vehicles were seen being carried away by the waters, as the floods overtook the streets. Employers were asked to dismiss workers early to give them an opportunity to prepare their homes and families for the weather ahead.

The Town of St George among other areas around the island experienced lengthy periods of power outages. The water supply in a number of areas was turned off in order to reduce the risk of blockage and further flooding. To date, most areas have had their power supplies and water turned back on. Motorists and pedestrians alike are still being admonished to be vigilant in areas that are prone to slides and slippages.

The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) also activated their Severe Weather Response Plan which comprised the erection of ‘no entry’ signs in areas deemed impassable.

According to the release, the Met Office indicated that the Tropical wave was expected to affect the island on Wednesday and Thursday, with little to no improvements. However, currently, the weather situation has tremendously improved and most persons have returned to their regular schedules.