Monday, January 30 – Dr. Zoran Vojinovic, an Associate Professor of Hydroinformatics at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Institute for Water Education (IHE) in the Netherlands is currently analysing the flood hazard areas of the Virgin Islands.

Wednesday 30th 2011 - An earthquake measuring a magnitude of 3.26Md on the Richter Scale was felt throughout the Virgin Islands at approximately 1:48pm yesterday afternoon. The final report indicated that the epicenter was located near 18.5N and 64.6 West or 20km North of Road Town at a depth of 20Km. Upon speaking with the Puerto Rico Seismic Network, have not revealed any damage pertaining to the earthquake or the need for a tsunami bulletin to have been issued.

The Antigua and Barbuda meteorological service has issued a flash flood watch for low lying and flood prone areas of Virgin Islands valid from 11 a.m. Today until 8 p.m. this evening.

A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to moderate to major flooding in low lying and flood prone areas.

Current Location: 20.8N/66.3W

Geographic Reference: 165 miles north of San Juan, PR

Movement: Northwest at 9 mph

Maximum Winds: 60 mph gusting to 75 mph

Forecast

Maria will continue moving to the northwest over the next 24-36 hours, then begin a gradual turn to the north on Tuesday. Maria will then increase in forward speed and turn to the northeast by late Wednesday. On this track, Maria will pass west of Bermuda early Thursday, then near Newfoundland late Friday.

At 200pm the center of Tropical Storm Maria was Located near latitude 14.3 north longitude 57.9 west. Maria is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 mph and this Motion is expected to continue during the next day or so. On The forecast track the center of Maria will reach the Lesser Antilles early tonight and be near the Virgin Islands by Saturday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is possible during the next 48 hours.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles mainly to the northeast of the center.

A Pleasant Good Day from the Governor’s Office to all Residents of the Virgin Islands.

The “All-Clear” was issued for the Virgin Islands following the passage of what is now Hurricane Irene, based on advice from various agencies including the Department of Disaster Management. This was necessary to allow emergency response teams to begin the recovery process. Most of the significant weather associated with the system has passed.

According to the Antigua Meteorological Service, Tropical Disturbance 31 located about 300 miles east of the Eastern Caribbean is expected to move west to west northwest during the next couple of days and has a high chance of becoming a tropical cyclone. This will likely bring showers and thunderstorms and strong gusty winds across the islands tonight and tomorrow Sunday.

A very active trough in the vicinity of Puerto Rico will continue to bring adverse weather conditions across the Virgin Islands during the next 24hours. The VI will experience cloudy to overcast skies tonight and tomorrow with moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect until tomorrow morning and a warning may become necessary later this evening.

A Flash Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flash flooding in flood-prone areas where grounds are already saturated from recent rains.

Recently, the department in collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) through the Regional Comprehensive Disaster Management Harmonization Implementation Project which is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), embarked on a training session in pursuit of this objective.

The three-day training focused on a Results-Based