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- Updates from the Islands -- - Dominica - - |
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| - CDERA SITREP #1 - Dominica Earthquake |
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ISSUED BY: Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) DATE: Novemeber 22, 2004 TIME: 12.00pm Communities remain cutoff after Dominica Earthquake Barbados, Nov 22, 2004 (CDERA) – The National Emergency Planning Office in Dominica met this morning to review the extent of damage and determine the nature of assistance required in the aftermath of the quake which shook the island early Sunday morning. Mr. Cecil Shillingford, National Disaster Coordinator has reported that their primary concern at the moment is getting access to and relief supplies into Grand Fonds, Good Hope and Petit Soufriere three communities that remain inaccessible since the earthquake. Engineering support is also required to conduct technical assessment of buildings, roads and areas affected by landslides. On Sunday November 21, 2004 at 7.41am Dominica was struck by a moderate Earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the earthquake was about 10km north of Dominica. The preliminary location for the event was 15.77°N 61.44°W. A strong aftershock followed at 09.36am. The quake was also felt in Antigua & Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts/Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The Northern Section of Dominica primarily the Portsmouth District was severely affected by the quake which caused serious structural damage. Access to the area has been hampered due to blocked roads leading into Portsmouth. This has been as a result of mudslides from the heavy rains which having been impacting the island since last week. Approximately 1500 persons in the communities of Petit Soufriere, Grand Fonds and Good Hope remain inaccessible and 25 persons are in shelters in Portsmouth. Meanwhile the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency Coordinating Unit has been making arrangements in response to the country emergency. CDERA’s Preparedness and Response Manager, Mr. Donovan Gentles is scheduled to hold discussions with Emergency Officials in Dominica tomorrow. Two Japanese experts with the Caribbean Disaster Management Project (CADM) are scheduled to arrive in Dominica also on November 23, to begin assessing debris flows resulting from the mudslides. CDERA has also secured the support of the University of the West Indies who will send two engineers to assist structural damage assessments. CDERA in collaboration with USAID/OFDA and the Regional Security Systems (RSS/CLO) are finalizing arrangements for accessing helicopter support for Dominica. The Eastern Caribbean Donor Group (ECDG) will meet this afternoon to discuss response strategies and appropriate support. The CDERA CU will continue to provide SITREPS on the Dominican Earthquakethe Dominica situation as updated information becomes available. This may be viewed at www.cdera.org . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeremy Collymore Coordinator, CDERA Tel: (246) 425-0386 Donovan Gentles Preparedness & Response Manager, CDERA Tel: (246) 425-0386 |
| - TD 11 |
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We have been receiving pretty constant rain here on the northern end of Dominica from TD 11. The rain began yesterday in the early morning hours and has continued throughout the night and into today with no signs of letting up. It is not a heavy rain, more of a heavy drizzle without any wind. It reminds me of fall back home, kind of gloomy. Although I am sure that we will be sweating our socks off again within the next couple days!! George Ross University School of Medicine ________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com |
| - All is clear |
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While we were lucky with the recent passing of Ivan, many parents and concerned watchers have written me asking for updates. I have decided to post so that all of you may benefit. We here in Dominica were left largely untouched by Ivan, receiving little rain and wind. Classes were canceled and the University was shut down on Tuesday. Everyone here is safe, and now praying for those who did not fare so well. Collections have been started here at the university for Medical Students in Grenada. Our thought and prayers are with them and those who still are threatened by Ivan. George Ross University School of Medicine ________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com |
| - 170 miles...and counting? |
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While the storm is nearly 170 miles from us here on the northern portion of Dominica, the students here at Ross are waiting anxiously for it to pass. Sitting for exams and dreaming of nearby days in the states, the student hope that the storm, and rains that it is bringing, will not continue through the week. Many student, including myself, will be heading to the states this coming weekend for a long awaited, and well deserved respite from the grind of books and lectures. The weather currently here on the north end, is a bit abnormal (but what is normal anyway?). We have been getting some pretty heavy gusts of rain that last for a few minutes at a time then stop. The temperature is cool and the winds are blowing. George Ross University School of Medicine ________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com |
| - Calm before the storm? |
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On the north end of the island we are getting ready for Tropical Depression Two. While the weather here is not bad right now we are told that it may get worse within the next several hours. Currently it is a bit overcast, cool with light sprinkles. Pretty typical of this side of the island, other than the temperature! We will let you know more once the weather changes, if the storm stays it's course! Yesterday was rather beautiful with the bright sun beating down and nice cool breeze. I guess that was just the calm before the storm. George Ross University School of Medicine ________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com |
| - Very violent weather... |
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Dear Gert, N.B.(I wasn't sure if this would make it with the outlook software, and also with the bad weather so I've tried sending this message again with hotmail) Wonderful site, I’ve been following the updates here for a few Years; nonetheless I am making my first post this morning. I was heading back into the city – Roseau, near the Cathedral very early this morning when the worst of the weather caused by this advancing tropical wave met me. I must say this weather has literally caught many Dominicans by storm; I am sure there were quite a few persons out ‘feteing’ as we say or liming as the ‘trinis’ say. Many vehicles were caught in the deluge and countless motorists seemed unsure of how to proceed in what could rightly have been described as violent weather. This was the case -at least from where I was in Roseau and environs/ suburbs. Certainly in the South of the Island the weather was absolutely wild and rough for about two hours straight. Beginning at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning the sky although overcast incredibly had turned into a faint reddish hue and this was an acute but very brief warning of the adverse weather conditions to follow. It had been a long time since I had driven through such extreme conditions. The visibility was almost zero on the road, and the only thing ironically actually helping driving along in most areas was the unabated fork and flash lightning with what seemed to be many episodes of cloud to ground contact in some elevations, which needless to say was intimidating and mitigated somewhat against driving. Expectedly, the power was coming and going all over the suburbs of Roseau, but this particular line of thundershowers and thunderstorms plunged the city (central) into darkness for over an hour. The rain has eased but has been coming relentlessly from about 12:30a.m. when it really started to get bad. There is vegetation strewn over a lot of the road ways especially near the Elmshall road which is close to the Botanic gardens. In some cases persons who were trying to flee from the city were literally ‘arrested’ by the endless squall lines that blew through and had to desperately seek shelter anywhere where feasible. The winds appeared to have been near gale force. Currently, the rivers are all cresting and the rest of the morning is slowly coming. I’ll wait and see if this weather will persist into Sunday and if mass attendance might be affected at all. I do hope there aren’t any major land slides, God forbid to speak about. Do continue to keep up the good work and maintain this site. May God bless us all and continue to protect all of our islands during this 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail |
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