SAINT LUCIA – Hurricane Tomas battered Saint Lucia from midday Saturday, October 30 to the wee hours of Sunday October 31. The Category 1 storm packed sustained winds and heavy rain, which resulted in fallen trees, infrastructural damage to buildings, damage to major roads consequentially restricting access to various areas, and temporary loss of utility services across the island.
Damage to the hotel plant was limited mainly to loss of landscaping and flooding to accommodations although a few hotels reported some structural damage. A comprehensive clean up exercise and restoration of critical infrastructure is underway and it is estimated that the country and its vital tourism industry will be back to normalcy by Friday November 12, at which time the island will be in a position to welcome all visitors in its usual legendary fashion.
The Government of Saint Lucia is committed to the practice of responsible tourism and in that respect wishes to ensure the utmost safety and welfare of visitors and citizens. In collaboration with the private sector, every effort is being made to ensure the smooth departure of visitors who wish to leave by facilitating additional airlift at both airports as well as transfers between the airports. Visitors wishing to remain on island will continue to be taken care of.
Cruise ships will resume calls to the island on November 7.
