More than 800 reports of damaged homes in Barbados after Hurricane Elsa

Disaster management authorities in Barbados have received more than 800 reports of damaged homes following the passage of Hurricane Elsa.

CDEMA’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Riley reported on the hurricane’s impact to its participating states during a press conference Saturday morning.

“At 8 o’clock this morning we were aware of 826 reports, which have been received by the National Emergency Operations Centre, and 586 of these are reports on roof damage, whether partial or full,” Riley said.

“In addition, there were 20 reports of houses being damaged in areas other than the roofs.”

Riley said there were 74 reports of fallen trees, 24 reports of fallen poles and wires, as well as four gas leaks. 

She said Prime Minister Mia Mottley and the Minister of Home Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, undertook a tour of some of the impacted areas Friday evening, specifically within Christ Church.

Their tour of the impacted areas is continuing on Saturday.

Riley noted that the airport and seaport have not been impacted, adding that “this is good news”.

There are currently six shelters open on the island with a total of 20 people.

Meanwhile, Riley said electricity was also disrupted in Barbados, and at the peak of the impact there was a loss of 100 per cent of the electricity across the island.

This morning’s update from the Barbados Light & Power Company is that the electricity is 50 per cent restored, she said.