Ernesto’s impact: A view from Cane Garden Bay

Residents in Cane Garden Bay have begun clearing the roads as best as possible following the passage of Tropical Storm Ernesto.

The impact of TS Ernesto began affecting the BVI on Tuesday, August 13, and has continued into the following day, August 14. It dump several inches of rain onto the territory and Cane Garden was one of several areas affected. Many members of the BVI community have reported strong winds knocking down trees, blocking roadways, damaging their yards, and, in at least one case, damaging their porch.

Despite flooded and disheveled roads, some residents in the Cane Garden Bay community have not been deterred from clearing debris to allow easier passage.

Additionally, the area — like several others — is without electricity, with many residents relying on generators. There have been no updates on restoration, and cell coverage for the Digicel network which has been down.

Many residents have reported indoor flooding, though the damage has been described as minimal. Most of the damage has occurred to outdoor infrastructure.

The sister islands were not with out its share of damage from the storm with residents reporting damage to private infrastructure such as boats on Jost Van Dyke. A full assessment of the damage is still underway.

The Virgin Islands was under a hurricane watch due to Tropical Storm Ernesto, indicating that hurricane conditions were possible within 12 hours.

The storm was forecasted to produce total rainfall accumulations of four to six inches over parts of the BVI, with storm conditions expected to begin affecting the territory on the evening of Tuesday, August 12.

A storm surge was anticipated to raise water levels in the BVI by one to three feet above normal tide levels, accompanied by large and destructive waves near the coast. Swells generated by Ernesto were likely to create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.