Stay watchful: 2019 hurricane season not over yet, most active period ahead

As residents begin to breathe a sigh of relief now that Hurricane Dorian has passed, they are being reminded that the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season is not yet over.

Premier Andrew Fahie issued the reminder in a post-Dorian address and noted that the period ahead is typically the most active part of the season.

“We must remain, as our Vigilate indicates, watchful, and we must continue to be ready and stay ready during this most active time of the year,” Fahie said.

He continued: “As we head into the peak of this season, I am confident that we have learned from the experiences of the past and will continue to ensure that we are always in a state of preparedness. Let us continue to petition God for His favour on this territory.”

Pleased by resident’s conduct, response to Dorian

The Premier went on to commend residents for how they conducted themselves considering how “sudden” Dorian’s course shifted to bring more adverse weather to the territory than was forecast.

This worse-than-expected weather led to the activation of the National Emergency Operations Centre and an impromptu territory-wide curfew.

“Our Virgin Islands people rose to the occasion. We band together as a community. We prepared our homes, offices and businesses for the unknown. We ensured that the vulnerable among us were looked after. We abided by the law, obeying the short curfew, keeping ourselves out of danger while allowing essential workers to carry out their operations without interruption. For this, our people must be commended,” Fahie said.

Emergency personnel, first responders whip into action

The Premier also expressed gratitude to the Department of Disaster Management, local first responders and other employees in the public service and statutory agencies who “left the comfort of their homes and their concerned family members and mobilized and worked tirelessly to ensure that the needs of all those who required assistance were addressed”.

Wednesday hurricane is said to have resulted in minimal property damage, and power outages across the Virgin Islands.

According to Governor Augustus Jaspert, efforts to restore power and water began immediately following the hurricane and assessments went underway to determine the state of key infrastructure and to debris from roadways.

The 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season ends on November 30.