The gas station at Zion Hill Road
in early November
Hurricane
Georges Hits Puerto Rico
Photo Credit: Laboratory
for Atmospheres, NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center
|
Aftermath
Reports on Hurricane Georges
The British Virgin
Islands are GREEN and GORGEOUS,
having emerged from the storm in remarkable shape
with nearly all establishments open for business--see
detailed reports below.
B-V-I Guide 11/25/98: The worst
damage was caused by the storm surge,
reported at 12 feet when inundating the
Virgin Gorda airstrip as well as the Sprat Bay peninsula
at Peter Island (to reopen April 1), the
docks at Marina Cay (open) and roads on
the Sir Francis Drake Channel, including the access road
at Frenchman's Cay (open). Some roofs
were lost and vegetation was damaged, but the hurricane
and subsequent rains have transformed the landscape into
a shade of vivid green, with evidence of
the storm seen mostly as lost and broken palm
fronds.
Island Sun 11/5/98
Post
Hurricane Renovations at VG Airport & Little
Dix Bay Hotel (Little Dix Bay Resort reopened
October 30, 1998; Virgin Gorda airport, a minor
subsidiary facility, remains closed).
B-V-I Guide Reports 10/30/98: Peter
Island Resort is closed for repairs from
damage from the storm surge and will reopen April
1, 1999. Frenchman's
Cay Resort lost part of its road and will
reopen December 12, 1998. Open
and fared well in the storm--see reports from Patouche
II, Necker
Island Resort, Virgin
Gorda Villa Rentals, Tortola's Arundel
Villa above Cane Garden Bay, Villa
Laguna in the Apple Bay Area, and the Limin'
House at Soper's Hole--see detailed
reports.
Island Sun Chief
Minister Makes Statement on Hurricane Georges:
Assesses damage, promotes assistence to
neighboring islands.
Island Sun BVI
Was "Well Prepared" Governor Says:
Commends agencies, suggests better communication,
equipment and clothing for police out in storm.
The Hurricane Page Liane Le Tendre
9/27/98: Detailed
report on going through the hurricane at the Lighthouse
Villas at Cane
Garden Bay. |
|
B-V-I Guide
Email
from Pusser's at Marina Cay, Betty Goss,
General Manager, 9/28/98: Getting new docks,
dinghies ok now, reopening--see
details.
B-V-I Guide Email
from Long Bay Beach Resort, Nancy Brassem
9/28/98: Fully operational, some
repairs made.
B-V-I Guide Wreck
of the Rhone Report from Lynn McKamey
(ScubaMom) 9/27/98: new parts of wreck at Salt Island exposed,
new fish species, visibility still a little low.
B-V-I Guide Email
from Sandcastle & Jost Van Dyke, Debby
Pearse and Bruce Donath, 9/27/98: Everything is
ok there.
The Hurricane Page BVI
Hotel & Commerce Association reports that the
BVI is back to normal 9/25/98.
Travel Talk Nanny
Cay Report from Jeremy Wright of Boardsailing BVI
9/24/98; Ft.
Burt Hotel Report by Ian Smith 9/24/98.
Island Sun Hurricane
Recovery Underway 9/24/98.
Island Sun Hurricane
Georges Lashes the Virgin Islands 9/22/98. |
 |
| The
famous "tire swing"
palm tree at Stanley's was lost
in Hurricane Georges.
This cultural icon and favorite
of many visitors and BVIslanders
alike will be greatly missed.
Banana and other trees were also
damaged at Cane Garden
Bay 9/24/98. Photo from Paradise
Vacations. |
|
|
B-V-I Guide, Update from
Reports, 9/24/98: Hurricane winds of up
to 110 mph were reported. On Virgin Gorda,
partial roofs were lost. VISAR has been much more
successful in persuading people not
to stay on boats in a hurricane, as less than
five boats with storm occupants were on its
"hurricane net," down from 125-150 in 1995,
according to VISAR
administrator Alex Greenspon. Boats were successfully
moored in lagoons and mangroves at Beef Island, Fat Hogs Bay,
Paraquita Bay and Sea Cows Bay. The Emergency Operations
Center of the Office of Diaster Preparedness coordinated
emergency preparedness efforts very effectively
under the leadership of Donovan Gentles. Post-Hugo
structures are built and others refitted to withstand
hurricanes, as evidenced by the widespread use of
modern hurricane shutters rather than nailed-on
plywood.
B-V-I Guide, Update 9/23/98:
General reports reveal that the
BVI has weathered Hurricane Georges in remarkable
shape. No casualities were reported.
Damage to buildings is reported to be minimal
with some roofs blown off on Tortola.
Virgin Gorda, Jost Van
Dyke and Anegada
have reported no significant damage.
| Considerable
damage to vegetation has been
consistently reported,
especially to trees at
higher elevations,
although it is unknown as to how
much is permanent such as
uprooted trees. Roads adjoining
Tortola's Sir Francis Drake
Channel were damaged by wave
action. In many places, the
phones were out and telephone
poles were down. Resorts
and other accommodations have
reported little or no damage
at this time (see Resort
Reports on this page). Only
about four boats are known to
have lost their moorings, with two
commercial vessels blown aground
in Road Harbour (see
picture of one) as well as
the sailboat grounding at
Ft. Recovery described
on this page. At marinas, several
boats in the water have sunk or
been damaged. Other boats were
blown over while "on the
hard," sustaining minor
damage. 
Boats Blown off Boat Stands at
Tortola Yacht Services, Wickham's
Cay II
|
|
|
Reports
were posted on the
internet during the
height of the hurricane
from Louis
Schwartz at the Jolly
Roger Inn (pictured
here) at Tortola's Soper's
Hole (see Reports
During Storm below).
Many telephones
were working during the
storm due to lines being
underground in many
places. Although there
was no power, generators
were used to run
computers.
|
|
|
|
B-V-I Guide, Resort
& Lodging Reports:
Resort Reports on 9/23/98 by
Lynn McKamey, the ScubaMom: Reports on
Mango Bay Resort, Bitter End Yacht Club, Guana Island,
Little Dix Bay and Peter Island.
Other Reports: Biras Creek Resort
sustained no damage. Biras Creek in Virgin Gorda's North Sound,
had already been closed for renovations and will re-open
as scheduled on October 22, 1998.
 DiveBVI Report, 9/23/98:
Marina Cay, pictured
here, lost their docks, according to DiveBVI's Joe Giacinto:
"Thank you we have
survived, all boats ok, all shops ok . . . Little Dix is
being assessed on Thursday but I don't think they will
have heavy down time. . . . Leverick
Bay is fine, no dock damage no shop damage.
Visibility [for diving] should be back to normal in two
or three days."
B-V-I Guide Anegada
Reports: Anegada weathered the storm very well.
See telephone
interview with Pat Faulkner at Pat's Pottery. Email
from Randall Thielman at Neptune's
Treasure, 9/24/98: "We at Neptune's Treasure
fared the storm surprisingly well. No damage and we are
open for business."
CaribWx Impact of
Hurricane Georges on NE Caribbean!
The Hurricane Page Updates from
the Islands
Where2Stay Virgin
Islands Message Board Mostly about U.S.V.I.
Reports
During Storm:
Travel
Talk "Thank
you all...Georges gone!!" 9 PM ECT (10
PM EDT) 9/21/98, Louis Schwartz, Jolly Roger Inn,
Soper's Hole,
Tortola.
Travel Talk "Most
Things Seem Ok!!" 5:15 PM PM ECT (6:15
PM EDT) 9/21/98, Louis Schwartz, Jolly Roger Inn,
Soper's Hole,
Tortola.
Travel Talk "It's
Howling, Folks!!" 1:55 PM ECT (2:55 EDT)
9/21/98, Louis Schwartz, Jolly Roger Inn, Soper's Hole,
Tortola. |
Hurricane Georges, 2 PM CDT, 9/21/98
Day-of-Storm Image from Intellicast
|
|
