Purcell, Tortola, under water following heavy rains. Photo: VINO

Director of DDM Sharleen S. DaBreo said that the worst of the system affecting the Territory has passed. Photo: DDM

Water gushing down in Bel Vue, Tortola. Photo: VINO

Parts of Jost Van Dyke under water today. Photo: Team of Reporters

Ponding in Jost Van Dyke following rains today. Photo: Team of Reporters

Jost Van Dyke today following the rains. Photo: Team of Reporters

A release from the Government Information Agency (GIS) earlier today advised that the Deputy Governor’s Office is informing the public that as a precautionary measure, Government offices will be closed today, Friday, November 7 at 1:30 p.m.

“Please note that non-essential workers are to vacate the offices first and any offices in low-lying areas or close to ghuts should secure their offices and vehicles before leaving,” said the GIS press release.

Another GIS release informing of the closing of schools said, “The Department of Education is informing parents, guardians, bus drivers and the wider community that due to flash flood watch which is now in effect, all public schools will be closed for the remainder of the day. Persons are asked to collect their children as soon as possible.”

Persons with whom this news site spoke on the Sister Islands of Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke said that while there was rain and some flooding, the situation in both of those islands was considered manageable. This news site’s information was that ferry services were not affected by the rain. "Yes we have some flooding but we good. It is not that bad," said a resident of Jost Van Dyke when asked of the situation there.

Several places on the Main Island of Tortola were affected by hours of battering rainfall which only had brief lulls before coming down again.

Speaking to this news site this afternoon November 7, 2014, Director of the DDM Sharleen S. DaBreo said that the worse of the weather has passed.

DaBreo also confirmed what this news site’s sources on the Sister Islands said, that the rainfall was not severe as it was on parts of Tortola.

“If you look at the radar images you will see that we are now going into an area of clear precipitation. It seems that the majority of the system that was affecting us has passed,” she said.

“We have had reports of ponding of water in Sea Cow’s Bay at the Well, in Purcell Estate, at Fish Bay and at some portions of East End,” she said.

“Because of the way in which the system was passing, the East End part of the island seemed to have had more precipitation than other parts of the island,” she said.

This news site made attempts to reach Minister for Communications and Works Hon Mark H. Vanterpool and the Public Works Department for a comment as to whether any roads, ghuts or other within the Territory were severely affected during the heavy rains. However these attempts proved futile.