Rain and heavy winds bore down on the Virgin Islands today August 2, 2014 as Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall as predicted by the tropical Storm advisories sent earlier by the Antigua Met Office through the Department of Disaster Management (DDM). Photo: VINO

“Maximum sustained winds remain near 50 mph with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles mainly to the north east of the centre. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb,” the bulletin stated. Photo: VINO

Satellite image of Tropical Storm Bertha. Image: DDM

A rain-drenched road in Cane Garden Bay during the storm. Photo: VINO

Water on the road made it challenging to traverse. Photo: VINO

Roads appearing like mini-rivers during the heavy rains today. Photo: VINO

Hardly a place to walk on this road as the water came gushing down the hill. Photo: VINO

The Department this morning issued a bulletin saying that Tropical Storm Bertha had arrived in the Virgin Islands.

“Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the Virgin Islands. A Tropical Storm Warning means that Tropical Storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area…in this case within the next 24 hours.

“At 8:00 am the centre of Tropical Storm Bertha was estimated near latitude 16.7 north longitude 65.5 west or approximately 85 miles south of St. Croix. Bertha is moving toward the west-northwest near 22 mph and this general motion is expected to continue today with a gradual turn to the northwest on Sunday. On the forecast track the centre of Bertha is expected to pass near Puerto Rico today.

“Maximum sustained winds remain near 50 mph with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles mainly to the north east of the centre. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb,” the bulletin stated.

Speaking to this news site, Deputy Director of Public Works Department Mr Jose C. De Castro said that they have not had any reports of damage to infrastructure as a result of the storm.

“The officers are out surveying the areas now…it is a bit too early to say whether anything is happening…we are experiencing rain and wind but so far we haven’t heard of anything too treacherous. But we are checking,” said De Castro.

This news site saw small rocks displaced and laying on the road as a result of the heavy rains and high winds and these conditions made it difficult for motorists using the road.