Flood Advisory Issued For St. Croix; BVI Parade Postponed Following Downpour

The National Weather Service in San Juan early Tuesday issued an urban and small stream flood advisory for St. Croix. The warning is to last until 9:15 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST), according to the NSW alert.

At 6:11 a.m., the Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. This will cause urban and small stream flooding in the advisory area. Near two inches of rain have already fallen. Some locations that will experience flooding include Grove Place, Frederiksted South, Christiansted and Frederiksted, according to the alert.

The rainfall and strong winds — over 30 miles per hour recorded — have caused power outages on St. Croix. WAPA on Monday night said it dispatched crews to the affected areas, which included neighborhoods in both Christiansted and Frederiksted, to work on reinstating power.

A flash flood warning for the British Virgin Islands was in effect as of Monday, which caused the government there to postpone the Emancipation Festival Parade that had been scheduled for Road Town, Tortola yesterday. The parade will instead be held on August 12.

The heavy showers in the BVI had caused many roadways to be overtaken by water, causing hazardous situations. BVI’s Department of Disaster Management (DDM) issued a release on Monday, urging residents to take caution.

“If you are in the warning area, move quickly to higher ground immediately. Residents living along streams, creeks, low-lying and flood prone areas should take immediate precautions to protect life and property. Do not attempt to cross swiftly flowing waters or waters of unknown depth by foot or by vehicle,” reads the release. “Just one foot of flowing water is enough to sweep vehicles off the road. When encountering flooded roads, be extremely cautious and, if in doubt, make the smart choice. Turn around, don’t drown. Move to higher ground.”

This year’s hurricane season is projected to be very active with up to 15 named storms, of which eight are forecast to be Category 3 hurricanes or stronger on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

Feature Image: A flooded gas station in the BVI.