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Hurricanes and Weather
Transfer of Fuel to Airport hindered due flooding of SOL Aviation main depot.
PHILIPSBURG - A number of areas along the islands coast line, was flooded by the rough seas that the island experienced on Sunday and all of Monday. The operations of SOL main fuel depot was seriously affected which had implications for regular fuel transfer to Sol Aviation Services storage at the PJIA. A press release from the airport stated on Tuesday that they are monitoring the situation and working with SOL Aviation Services aimed at limiting the effects to flight operations to and from St. Maarten.[More....]
Roads flood during heavy rain fall Tuesday
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - Heavy rainfall affected the island of St.Maarten during the morning on Tuesday. The public works department reported at around 9am that the Zagersgut road, L.B. Scott road from Cake House to the first gap of Saunders were flooded.
The Welgelegen road also experienced serious problems as a result of the heavy rainfall. Drivers were requested to stay off the road.
Heavy Rainfall leaves several Areas flooded
SMNN -
Philipsburg: --- With flash flood warning in effect several areas on the Dutch side of the island were flooded. Drivers were seen braving floodwaters to get their destination. Several parents were also seen heading towards St. Peters to pick their children up. Some schoolyards were completely flooded but most schools kept their students indoors since authorities did not close school for the day. The Government Information Service on Tuesday issued a press release regarding the flood.[More....]
Residents rush to clean trench
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - In an attempt to save their homes from possible flooding, residents of the “police homes” swung into action on Wednesday night to clear the main trench that services their home.
With tropical storm Erika approaching the island, some of the residents of the homes located along Walter Nisbeth road realised that the main trench that channels water from the immediate vicinity of their homes to the salt pond was clogged with debris.
St. Maarten Under a Tropical Storm Watch as Tropical Storm Erika forms East of the Leeward Islands; Residents advised to closely monitor weather reports.
SMNN -
GREAT BAY,– St. Maarten as of 5.00pm has been placed under a Tropical Storm Watch as Tropical Storm Erika has formed East of the Leeward Islands. Residents are therefore advised to continue to monitor weather reports this evening and throughout tomorrow. Additional information will be made available on Wednesday with respect to possible actions that need to be taken. [More....]
St. Maarten Under a Tropical Storm Warning; Governor orders schools closed on Thursday
PHILIPSBURG - St. Maarten is now under a Tropical Storm Warning which means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the next 24-hours or less. Tropical Storm Erika is expected to pass very close to St. Maarten as a severe tropical storm. Residents should have their hurricane season preparations already in place and after having gone through the most recent experience with the passing of Hurricane Bill. Due to the possibility of deteriorating weather conditions on Thursday; looking at the safety of pupils, teachers and parents, schools are to be closed on Thursday.[More....]
Bridge repair works completed; Three times per day openings for Maritime Traffic started Saturday.
SMNN -
SIMPSON BAY - Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation Managing Director Russell Voges, announced that repair works at the bridge have been completed and that regular opening for maritime traffic resumed on Saturday, August 29. The first vessel to enter the lagoon was the Netherlands Antilles/Aruba Coast Guard Vessel Poema. This was a special opening that took place on Friday after the pontoon was removed from under the bridge deck.[More....]
Weather Watch - Invest 94
Weather Underground - Cloudiness and showers associated with a broad area of low pressure located about 950 miles east of the Windward Islands continue to become better organized. This system could become a tropical depression during the next day or so as it moves west-northwestward around 15 mph. There is a high chance...greater than 50 percent...of tropical cyclone formation in this area during the next 48 hours. Interests in the Lesser Antilles should monitor the progress of this system.
NOAA Satellite Loop
Weather Underground
Inspectors fail oftenest listed hurricane shelters
SXM Island Times - PHILIPSBURG - Inspectors failed the island's most frequently listed hurricane shelters in a July report about hurricane preparedness. Five of the 17 shelters were deemed unfit for use. Most others needed repairs and supplementing, the report said.
Social Welfare, Fire Department and Red Cross representatives checked shelters from the 2007 list in June for location, accessibility, hygiene and amenities to ensure that persons weathering storms in these buildings would be safe. Their consensus was that most of the shelters were substandard: many needed repairs and renovations to withstand hurricane force winds and rain, while others needed working restrooms and showers, and electricity and water supplies.
Theo: ROB needs to embrace structure rather than chaos
The Daily Herald - PHILIPSBURG--Public Works Commissioner Theo Heyliger minced no words Tuesday when he said the Public Works Department ROB had to embrace an environment of proper structure rather than one of chaos. He was commenting on administrative and other issues that have affected the timely cleaning of parts of the island – including some key waterways – in preparation for the current hurricane season.
The Daily Herald presented Heyliger on Tuesday with documentation that apparently contradicted his claim that the recent advice from ROB to clean the trenches had been rejected by the Executive Council because it came in at NAf. 500,000.
