Nevis Spared Major Damage as Tropical Storm Ernesto Passes
Premier Mark Brantley Expresses Gratitude
The Honourable Premier Mark Brantley has expressed gratitude that the island of Nevis was spared any major damage or disruption to utility services during the passage of Tropical Storm Ernesto on Tuesday, August 13.
Assessment of Damage
“Now that Tropical Storm Ernesto has passed we are assessing the damage and thus far reports are that we’ve had some minimal damage such as fallen trees, persons suffering minor property damage; certainly no deaths and no bodily injuries, so I believe we should be truly grateful to God for sparing us the worst yet again.”
Recognition of Public Servants
The Premier thanked the “hard-working public servants” who ensured that the island was in a state of readiness and who braved storm conditions to make certain that services were restored where there were outages.
Congratulations to Public Services
“I take a moment to congratulate our public services- the Water Department especially- they stayed on throughout the storm. NEVLEC had some interruptions but those were solved quickly. Power for most of the island stayed on and for the parts that were affected NEVLEC was able to report as early as last evening that 99 percent of the island was restored to power,” he said, also extending commendation to the Solid Waste Management workers who were out ensuring garbage was collected on time during the bad weather.
Private Sector Support
He also thanked the private sector for giving their employees the opportunity to attend to their own family and personal storm preparations.
Infrastructure and Preparedness
Premier Brantley credited the island’s resilient infrastructure and competency of the various agencies and departments for Nevis weathering the storm as well as it did.
“I think our response shows our resilience and certainly the resilience of the infrastructure thus far and so we hope to continue to build better as we move forward, knowing that we are in a region that is high risk for storms of this nature. I think preparedness is critical if we are to weather the worst of these occurrences.”
Ongoing Efforts
Following the All Clear alert from disaster officials, crews from the Nevis Electricity Company (NEVLEC), Public Works and Communication, Water Department, and Fire and Rescue have been patrolling Nevis to ensure the road network is clear and that any issues with respect to faults in utility services are swiftly rectified.
Conclusion
Premier Brantley’s words of gratitude and appreciation for the hard work of public servants and private sector employees are a testament to the resilience of the island and its people. As Nevis continues to rebuild and recover, it is clear that preparedness and infrastructure are key to weathering the worst of natural disasters.
FAQs
Q: What was the extent of the damage caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto?
A: Reports indicate minimal damage, including fallen trees and minor property damage, with no deaths or bodily injuries.
Q: How did the public services respond to the storm?
A: Public services, including the Water Department, NEVLEC, and Solid Waste Management, stayed on throughout the storm to ensure services were restored and maintained.
Q: What measures are being taken to ensure the road network is clear and utility services are restored?
A: Crews from various agencies are patrolling Nevis to ensure the road network is clear and any issues with utility services are swiftly rectified.