Heavy rains force closures, outages in U.S. Virgin Islands as flood risk grows
Tropical wave and trough blamed for downpours; warnings of flooding, landslides and river surges across USVI and Puerto Rico as Gabrielle remains offshore
Heavy rains forced the closure of schools, businesses and government offices across the U.S. Virgin Islands on Thursday, the Associated Press reported. A widespread power outage also was reported on St. John and St. Thomas.
The National Weather Service said the heavy rainfall resulted from a tropical wave interacting with a nearby trough, an area of relatively low pressure. Forecasters warned that additional heavy rain could trigger flooding, landslides and dangerous surges of rivers across the U.S. Virgin Islands and into parts of neighboring Puerto Rico.
The weather system was not linked to Tropical Storm Gabrielle, which was approaching the Caribbean but was expected to remain over open water.
Local officials urged residents to monitor forecasts and avoid flooded roads, with schools and offices advising employees to stay home where possible until conditions improve. Officials noted the vulnerability of the territory to heavy rainfall and related hazards during this period, as forecasters continued to track the movement of the tropical wave and the trough.