Over 60 MPH Wind Gust Reported On St. Croix, Heavy Rainfall Expected, Multiple WAPA Feeders Out

Update: Governor Kenneth Mapp has declared a State of Emergency and extended curfew hours from 5:00 a.m. this morning to 5:00 p.m. today. All details here.

ST. CROIX — The 11:00 p.m. National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Erika update projects more rain and wind for the territory, St. Croix in particular, as the storm is currently passing through the islands. NOAA also revealed that a wind gust of 62 mph was reported here.

The center of Tropical Storm Erika was located near latitude 16.6 North, longitude 65.3 West. Erika is moving toward the west near 17 mph. A turn to the west-northwest is anticipated on Friday, and this general motion is expected to continue through Saturday. On the forecast track, the center of Erika will move near Puerto Rico during the next several hours and move near or over the Dominican Republic on Friday, NOAA reports.

NOAA says Erika’s maximum sustained winds are near 45 mp with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km) from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb (29.77 inches).

WIND

Tropical storm conditions are affecting the Virgin Islands and will spread across Puerto Rico during the next several hours, NOAA says. These conditions should spread westward across portions of the Dominican Republic on Friday, and the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands late Friday.

RAINFALL

Erika is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches with maximum amounts of 12 inches possible across portions of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the southeastern Bahamas through Saturday. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.

Elsewhere, VITEMA is reporting that multiple feeders have failed on St. Croix, leaving residents in various portions of the island without power. They are as follows:

• Feeder 9 affecting Adventure, Racetrack, Central High-Clifton Hill area and Complex.
• Feeder 6 – Princesse, John F. Kennedy housing community, Estate St. John, Mon Bijou, Slob.
• Feeder 4 – Anna’s Hope, Belvedere, Constitution Hill, Sion Farm & Diamond Ruby.
• Feeder 2 – Christiansted up toward East End.

The government agency also gave reports of incidents caused by the Erika, including the following:

• Green Cay Marina reported steady winds at 60 miles per hour.  At Christiansted harbor there is 1 (one) boat not secured.
• In Catherine’s Rest there is a vehicle down with a pole on it.
• At Peppertree Terrace a tree fell on pole in vicinity of Unit 21 with an elderly couple trapped inside. St. Croix Rescue responded and extracted. No injuries sustained.

Queen Mary Highway in the vicinity of the Sion Farm intersection is impassible.

Stop light hanging at the Sunny Isles intersection.

ST. THOMAS

At 9 p.m., winds are beginning to pick up on St. Thomas.

Feeder 9A – on the northern side of St. Thomas.  Power restored.

ST. JOHN

No reports as of 9 p.m. from St. John.