Tropical Storm Dorian moves toward P/Rico

PUERTO RICO and the Dominican Republic are bracing for the impact of Tropical Storm Dorian, which is scheduled to make landfall by tonight.

TT Met Office meteorologist Kiran Sedoo said Dorian has maintained its current track at 15 miles per hour and should reach Puerto Rico by 8 pm.

By 8 am on Thursday, the storm should be nearing the Dominican Republic and at 8 am on Friday, the Bahamas will feel its effects.

The storm passed through Barbados and St Lucia late Monday evening into Tuesday morning. Both islands, up to late yesterday evening, were experiencing overcast skies, gusty winds and rainy conditions.

Barbados' Met Office discontinued its watch at 2 am on Tuesday, but warnings for small crafts remained in effect until 6 pm yesterday. A national advisory said public and private businesses should resume work as normal.

There was no major damage reported, and Barbadians were putting their lives back together again; cleaning up the debris and fixing damage Dorian left behind.

St Lucia's National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), said the hazards associated with the system had diminished considerably. The storm watch was discontinued at 8 am yesterday, but small craft operators were advised to remain in port.

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, approved the all-clear for St. Lucia from 10 am. yesterday and advised that businesses could reopen.

Trinidadian photographer Andrea De Silva-Viarruel, who is still on the island, said, "Most businesses have chosen to remain closed. A walk around the Rodney Bay area showed no major infrastructural damage."

De Silva-Viarruel and music aficionado Nigel Campbell covered the Roots & Soul Music Festival for Newsday over the weekend. Their flight home was cancelled because of the storm. They will return tomorrow. The airport was reopened at 11 am yesterday.

The TT Met Office said, "As the storm system moves west, TT will experience cloudy conditions and isolated thunderstorms until mid-morning. While there may be sunny and hazy conditions after noon today, citizens should remain vigilant. We need to remember we are still in the hurricane season."

Caribbean Airlines has said passengers whose flights to or from Barbados were cancelled should contact its reservation offices for rebooking on the next available service. It also said customers should visit www.caribbean-airlines.com to check their flights status before going to the airport.