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Education Commissioner La Verne Terry is announcing the early dismissal of public schools on St. Croix as result of flooding conditions caused by persistent downpours associated with a large area of low pressure moving north northeast across the island.
“Based on the severe weather conditions and for the safety of our students and staff, all public schools on St. Croix only will be dismissed early today,” Education Commissioner La Verne Terry said. “Early dismissals will begin at 12:30 p.m. for schools at Frederiksted, including Arthur A. Richards Junior High School, Claude O. Markoe Elementary School and Alexander Henderson Elementary School. All remaining schools in the district will be dismissed at 1:30 p.m.”
“We’re also asking parents of students who walk home, to be mindful of flooding conditions on our roadways,” Terry said.
Human Services Commissioner Chris Finch is also announcing that the Head Start Centers on St. Croix only will dismiss students at 1:30 p.m. today. However staff will remain at the centers until all of the students have been picked up. According to Finch, the heavy rains caused leaking and minor flooding at the centers.
Finch is also announcing that the Richmond and Aldershville Senior Centers have been closed due to flooding. However, the Meals on Wheels and Homemaker services will continue as regularly scheduled.
St. Croix was placed under Flash Flood Warning from 8 a.m. through 10 a.m. today as the outer bands of the low pressure system, producing light to moderate rainfall and scattered thunderstorms, brushed the island. The weather system is just south of St. Croix and is continuing to move north northeast. On Monday, St. Croix logged record rainfall of 4 inches in only a few hours.
Just after 10 a.m. the National Weather Service extended the Flash Flood Warning for St. Croix until 1:30 p.m. after forecasts indicated moderate shower activity and thunderstorms producing an additional 3 inches of rain throughout the day.
The Office of the Governor and the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency are remaining in constant contact with the National Weather Service at San Juan and is continuing to monitor weather conditions and forecasts.
VITEMA Director Elton Lewis is urging residents in flood-prone areas to be ready to move to higher ground immediately and never try to cross a flooded roadway. Motorists are also urged to use extreme caution on the roadways and, if possible, avoid routes that are prone to flooding.
Both the VI Police Department and Department of Public
Works, on Tuesday, received several reports of flooded roadways.
On St. Croix, spots along the Melvin Evans Highway, roads at William’s Delight, the East Airport Road, Queen Mary Highway in the vicinity of Golden Grove and Peter’s Rest road near Juny’s Bar, were all reported to have been flooded.
On St. Thomas, Brookman Road, and roads at Subbase and Crown Mountain have been impacted by the persistent rains.
A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect for the entire Virgin Islands through midnight tonight.
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