Met Office warns of rising waters in rivers

The Roseau River
The Roseau River

The Met Office has warned that heights of rivers are rising and could overflow their banks as unstable weather conditions affect the island.

The office further warned that persons living in areas prone to flooding, landslides, and falling rocks should exercise caution on Saturday and Sunday.

“Unstable conditions reinforced by moisture convergence have been generating light to moderate and isolated heavy showers across Dominica since Friday evening,” the Met Office said on Saturday morning. “Radar imagery indicated that pockets of heavy showers affected mainly the southern portion of Dominica throughout Friday night into Saturday morning.”

It continued, “Rainfall amounts and intensity are higher in the interior of the island due to the enhancing effect of the topography of Dominica. Given that rainfall has been occurring for over 12 hours, river heights are rising and could overflow their banks due to runoff from elevated areas. Close attention should be given to areas located downstream of rivers or along river banks.”

Cloudy conditions with periods of showers are expected to continue to affect Dominica throughout today and Sunday.

Rainfall amounts recorded at 8:00 am on Saturday:

Douglas-Charles Airport – 11.3mm
Canefield Airport – 17.0mm
D’leau Gommier – 32.7mm
Pond Casse – 15.4mm
Copthall water level 1.39m (5ft)

DNO has received reports of flooding in some areas of the island and the Roseau River has been rising since Friday evening.

DNO is keeping a close eye on the situation and will publish updates from the Met Office when they are made available.

Visible satellite imagery showing cloudiness across Dominica (from MeteoFrance)
Visible satellite imagery showing cloudiness across Dominica (from MeteoFrance)
The river in La Plaine on Friday afternoon
The river in La Plaine on Friday afternoon

weather image

 

 

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10 Comments

  1. %
    May 29, 2016

    It’s just about a year since Erika struck, and virtually nothing has been done in several villages,hamlets,etc,etc,to save lives and property if something similar occurs..The gang of clowns prefer to fritter money away in the Soufriere Constituency…Noone knows how much money was collected post Erika,or whether the international community rebuked those inept and evil clowns…Who ever thought that 16years since DLP took over the governance of this country,we would have been worse of than we were in 2000?THOSE WHO CANNOT HEAR WILL FEEL!!

  2. Face the Facts
    May 28, 2016

    It is raining in the interior of the island which results in the river flooding. There is nothing anyone can do but to protect themselves and their property should the worst occur; in fact, prior to it getting worst.

  3. May 28, 2016

    Mother nature you in charge so do your thing.

  4. cohenval
    May 28, 2016

    To be expected. The culverts there are for run-off water, not for a river. A bridge is what is needed.

  5. wild
    May 28, 2016

    Loord help us

  6. Clarity
    May 28, 2016

    Be safe

  7. Jerry
    May 28, 2016

    Hahaha. For true Dominica can flood after TE? Hmm

  8. Shaka Zulu
    May 28, 2016

    I am glad too see the met office putting out a better and more detailed forecaste. That shows improvement and you guys are finally taking this seriously. It is not after the fact warning. Improvements always needed.
    I would also add the levels in the river seems to be rising because channels are getting clogged with sediments. Over time i have notice discharge volumes decreased over extended periods causing increase deposition over the years. River beds needed to be dregged. The dregged msterisl could be used to replenish coastal beaches so it is not all lost. What we seeing today is a combination of weather patterns and lack of environmental oveesight/foresight. This has been coming some time now with flooding in Canfield.

    • Shaka Zulu
      May 28, 2016

      Finally some rain gauge in the interior.

  9. Favoured
    May 28, 2016

    Where is the ODM in all this? Heard the Minister praising the New changes at the ODM but ODM is very silent since those changes took effect hmmmm! The minister said he is impressed with the work Cecil Shillingford is doing but he did not give details of what h e is doing for the up coming hurricane season. In the meantime the Sun Newspaper is reporting that he Shillingford nor the New coordinator would comment on Dominicas preparation until the National meeting. So one of the changes is to make sure the minister approves of what is to be said? Before the public gets the information. When the others were there you would hear them almost every week involved in one thing or another. They never shy away from the media. Wallingford before taking the position never shy away from the media either especially when it came to Q95. But I guess that are some of the changes the minister is praising him for. Anyway let’s all get prepared its our responsibility.

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