Damage assessments began yesterday as the Virgin Islands carries out its emergency response to the passage of a trough May 7 and 8.

The event dumped more than 5 inches of rain on Road Town and approximately 9 inches on Virgin Gorda.

His Excellency the Governor Daniel Pruce chaired a meeting on May 8 with leaders from key responding agencies including the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, Ministry of Health and Social Development, BVI Ports Authority, BVI Electricity Corporation, and the Public Works Department to discuss preliminary impacts and next steps.

Governor Pruce said, “Thankfully, no lives were lost and there were no reports of injuries during the flash flood event. I am grateful to everyone involved in response to the flooding and disruption caused by the heavy rains in the past few days.”

“I hope that as a Territory and a community, we can come together to support those persons who now face the difficult process of recovering belongings and rebuilding businesses,” the Governor added.

Director of Disaster Management Mr. Jasen Penn said that the event illustrated how sudden flash flooding can be and underscored the importance of preparedness and mitigation for the entire Territory.

“Part of what makes flash flooding so dangerous is that it can occur with very little warning, and unfortunately that is what the Territory experienced May 7 and 8,” Mr. Penn said. He added, “The presence of a trough had been forecasted by our partners at the Antigua Met Office, however, the level of rainfall was not understood until it was already underway.”

Mr. Penn expressed his gratitude for the public’s overall safety during the event.

“We know that measures like school closures, office hour adjustments and requesting persons not to drive during the event disrupt persons’ routines, but these measures also help to ensure that the population can stay safe,” he said.

Virgin Islands residents are reminded that the hurricane season begins on June 1 and that it is important to be ready for storms, floods and other emergencies. For resources like a family plan template, storm tracking map, emergency supplies checklist and emergency shelter lists, please visit www.bviddm.com.