Prime Minister Mottley Updates Barbadians on Impact of Hurricane Beryl: Minimal Injuries and Damage Reported
July 2, 2024
Prime Minister Mottley updates on Hurricane Beryl aftermath, minimal injuries reported. Damage assessment ongoing in Christ Church, St Philip, and St Michael. Parliamentary session postponed for community damage assessments.
That was the announcement from Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley who was speaking during a site visit to Bridgetown Fisheries Complex after the all clear was given earlier this afternoon.
Mottley said: “Hurricane Beryl has claimed no lives and there has been minimal injury. Therefore, while we have to do all of the assessments we are doing, I am asking parents to remind your children that curiosity will certainly not help them at this stage. Let us apply our hearts to wisdom and ensure we can get through this week without anybody being a victim of any of these issues.”
The Prime Minister added that she was informed that Christ Church, St Philip and St Michael received the brunt of the damage from Hurricane Beryl with regard to houses.
“When we left the National Emergency Operations Centre this morning,” she said, “the numbers were on or around 40 and that included a few leaking roofs, but the majority of them were roofs that were off or partially collapsed or had any other structural issues. That team of the Barbados Statistical Service, welfare agencies, social agencies and also the Ministry of Housing is out there and Minister (Dwight) Sutherland is dealing with that.”
Mottley added: “Minister (Colin) Jordan has informed me that there are some issues in St Peter too at Six Men’s by the recreational area below Bradley’s bar and the road by Sherman’s. The all clear came too late so they couldn’t get to it tonight, but what we haven’t got to tonight we will get to tomorrow.”
The Prime Minister also announced that tomorrow’s Parliamentary session would be postponed, and instead, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams would deliver a ministerial statement so that they could go back out into the communities in to do damage assessments. She said the decision was taken with the possibility of bad weather on Wednesday in mind.
The all clear was issued at 2 p.m. today, with the hurricane warning for Barbados officially discontinued. Barbadians have been advised to remain cautious, as intermittent showers and gusty winds from 28 to 40 miles per hour were expected to persist throughout the afternoon. Winds at this speed and stronger might cause unsecured objects such as garbage cans, tents, baskets and inflatable structures to tumble and roll. (JC)
