Storm Philippe hits Guadeloupe, placed on red alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms, this Tuesday, October 3. Flooding is already visible on the island which has closed all schools for the day.
Storm Philippe is raging near the French West Indies and brushes the coasts of Guadeloupe. Meteo France has also placed the island on red alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms all day this Tuesday, October 3, in preparation for the passage of the storm. While the gusts and rains have intensified in recent hours on the small archipelago, the meteorological phenomenon is expected to continue all day, it is particularly in the morning that the peak of the stormy episode is expected, when storm Philippe will be as close as possible to the coast. In addition to the red vigilance, there is a yellow vigilance on all the coasts of the island for waves-submersion and violent winds.
Uninterrupted torrential rains
Then “torrential and stormy rains” fell on Guadeloupe on the evening of Monday October 2 (local time, around 1 p.m. in Paris), new rains of the same intensity “are still expected” until Tuesday morning. “Strong accumulations are expected over short periods (50 to 100 mm in 1 or 2 hours) but also over the duration of the episode. Accumulations of around 200 to 400 mm over 24 hours are expected,” warns Météo France in its bulletin published at 11 p.m. (local time, around 5 a.m. in Paris).
At 11 p.m. (local time), six hours after the start of the rains, significant accumulations of water were already recorded: 314 mm in Vieux-Fort, 169.3 mm in Baillif, 109.5 mm in Saint-Claude, 106.7 mm in Vieux -Inhabitants or even 300 mm in Les Saintes.
If it is mainly the rains which are worrying, the wind “blows unusually from the south-southwest at an average of 40/50 km/h in exposed areas, mainly on the coasts and the relief as well as at sea”. Gusts of 80/90 km/h can occasionally accompany showers. But the wind should gradually weaken during the day on Tuesday. However, under the winds, the sea will be rough, particularly on the west and south coasts where “surges and localized submersions are to be expected”.
Schools closed and roads cut
After being placed on red alert due to heavy rain and storms, the prefecture of Guadeloupe announced the closure of all schools on the island this Tuesday, October 3. In its press release, the authority also indicates that the departmental operational center, that is to say the crisis unit, has been set up.
Traffic on the roads of Guadeloupe was disrupted from the first hours of the red alert due to torrential rains. Some roads have since been cut by landslides or falling trees according to the Routes de Guadeloupe organization.