21/9/98; RECEIVED AT 3:37 P.M
This is based only upon information
from PAHO's focal points,police radio and Regional Security Services,
and needs to be confirmed.
General: no victims reported except one unconfirmed from Antigua. No information to date regarding casualties.
Barbuda: no information available at this time.
St. Kitts: (info via coast guard HF radio only)
Airport is damaged, tower is down, and airstrip will be cleared by tomorrow.
Substantial amount of damage to homes, roads, public buildings, life lines.
No information concerning the hospital.
Nevis: damage to houses, roads and police station in Charlestown reported.
Guadeloupe: French teams from Cayenne were cancelled.
St. Maarten: roofs have been torn from houses; some boats sunk.
Saba: hospital lost its roof and
evacuated its patients to a geriatric home which subsequently lost its
roof too.
Damaged: water system, utilities and airport.
St Eustacius: no communication possible.
Dominica: damage to coastal road in the north reported.
Assessment of hospitals in Roseau and Marigot: no damage.
Anguilla: Hospital intact.
Hurricane is currently over BVI; communication with Tortola is still open.
NB
A flight is planned to depart Barbados at 8 am on 22 September to St. Kitts with the PAHO Disaster Response Team (Sanitary Engineer, Biomedical Engineer, Public Health, satellite phone).
There are two SUMA teams on standby.
PAHO is in constant communication with: Regional Security System, CDERA, UNDP, OFDA.