St Vincent flooding: Tropical wave triggers 154 incidents, displaces families

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: A tropical wave that passed through the country on October 6 brought heavy rainfall, triggering widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure damage, with 154 verified incidents recorded by October 9, according to the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO).

The rainfall affected homes, roads, businesses, schools and health facilities across mainland Saint Vincent. NEMO reported that 36 people from eight families were displaced following the severe weather.

As of October 9, 2026, nearly 154 incidents have been confirmed by NEMO from the passage of tropical waves. Over a 24-hour period, national rainfall exceeded 130mm. Majorca received more than half of the rainfall in a single hour, more than half of the total rainfall it recorded in entire June month. NEMO has reported 74 severe flooding events, 37 landslides, and 18 wall collapses. Water supply suffered severe disruptions. Commercial properties between Heritage Square and Edmund Street in Kingstown require loss evaluation.

The event has been classified as a Level 1 emergency. Rescue operations are being funded through national domestic resources. The public has been urged to clean their drains, securing their roofs, avoiding improper water disposal in waterways. The government shut down all schools amidst heavy rainfall which unleashed landslides and flooding. Authorities say that severe flooding damaged homes and infrastructure like healthcare etc. No hurricanes have been reported during this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. The last such hurricane was reported in October 1905.