A fierce thunderstorm hit Saba on Monday night

Hazel Durand of Caribisch Netwerk reports that, on Monday night, a major communications tower from the phone company Satel  night collapsed during a thunderstorm that swept across the island. According to the telephone company, it will take approximately one to two weeks before all phone lines are in order again. The material for the repair of the tower has to come from Israel .

Connection

The thunderstorm was causing heavy rainfall and windguts . ” It is not looking good . We are working very hard with our colleagues in St. Maarten and Statia towards a solution . Our connection with the world is broken , ” said Stephen Hughes, a technician from Satel .

A total of 254 millimeters of rain fell and this was accompanied by wind gusts of 80 miles per hour . There is a some damage from landslides and floods . The landslide between English Quarter and Hell’s Gate made disappear almost all sand and stones that has been dumped in the last curve of the road and might even mean a risk for the road itself. Due to a lightning stroke the police cannot be reached on its standard telephone number. “The situation is bad. Police Corps Caribbean Netherlands ( KPCN ) has activated a temporary emergency number. ” says KPCN in a press release .

Rocks

On Monday night Winair cancelled its last flight to Saba. At the harbor there are problems because the large rocks blocking the road . “I have to use a loader to clear the way , ” says Egon Linzey . ” People can not pass with small cars. ” Some people even claim to have seen hail. ” I could not believe my eyes when I saw hail tonight ,” said Voltaire Simmons . Tuesday morning everything is put to work  to clean the roads again.