Districts were flooded and trees uprooted yesterday as a weather system created hostile conditions across the island.
The heavy rains and high winds, brought on by a low level trough system moving across Barbados and the Windward Islands, were expected to prevail through the weekend.
Tracy Marshall, programme officer at the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) in the Attorney General’s Office, said that the agency was prepared for any emergency.
Marshall told the SATURDAY SUN that the department had only one report of house damage where a residence at Clapham, St Michael, lost two galvanized roof sheets.
“We sent out our district emergency officer and that matter is being attended to,” she added.
The downpour and windy conditions were such that flights at the Grantley Adams International Airport were temporarily grounded and in sections of the island commuters left stranded for hours waiting on buses.
In addition, two trees were downed at Airy Cot, St Thomas, which made the road impassable. However, the road was quickly cleared by officials of the Roving Response Team and the Ministry of Public Works.
Asked whether the department needed to mobilize resources for the weekend condition, the DEM programme officer said: “Right now it is just unstable conditions that we are experiencing across the island and we are keeping track of that.
It is expected that the conditions will continue over the weekend until Monday.”
The official explained that while the 2013 hurricane season was coming to an end, the DEM remained in response mode.
“Even though the hurricane season is winding down, the department is always in alert mode because we have to have an all-hazard approach to disaster management that is not only about hurricanes,” she added.
Met officials warned that residents in flood-prone areas should take “all necessary precautions” and remain on alert. (GE/AC)
