Hurricane ?

[Mark Muncaster]

Just been on BBC Weather and they have said showers and winds of 8mph
Never mind BBC

[Marc Jones]

BBC now says:

"The latest hurricane to threaten the Caribbean has shifted course and is veering towards Trinidad and Tobago, says the US National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Ivan's winds have reached 115 mph (185km/h) and it has been upgraded to category three, officials say.

A hurricane warning is in force on both islands. Schools have been closed and residents are urged to remain indoors."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3634898.stm

[Paul Tallet]

Yes, the BBC News still thinks that the hurricane is passing over Barbados and it is only being reported in relation to Frances that struck Florida.

Quite appalling really.

Anyway, the latest satellite shows the eye of Ivan about 20 miles to the north of Tobago ... the winds are thought to be worst on the eastern side of the eye ... so it is not over yet.

[Arianne]

I just learned that Ivan is just approx. 90 km's away from Tobago. It will hit the island within 3,4 hours...

Strangly enough, the Dutch News on telly does not mention this hurrican situation at all until now!!!

[Paul Williams]

I share your annoyance that the BBC seem to be oblivious to the fact that hurricane Ivan is close to causing chaos in a number of commonwealth countries and that if it was hitting Florida today we would have blanket coverage.
Radio 5 have just read an e-mail that I posted to them about this and have at least acknowledged that many islands are preparing to be hit so people will be aware of the problem.

[Marc Jones]

Amazing how much I care about the place, and not just selfishly because I want to return.

On our visit we heard "when the hurricane hit it destroyed...".

I just hope it doesn't cause the destruction it is capable of, and hope it swerves off course ASAP!

[Brian Taylor]

we got it here....anyone wants to come and give us a hand to mop up the running water? surprised to still have a phoneline. no current, no cell phone, radio stations closing down as announced before to safe their antennas.
good to know you think of us. would rather be with you and have a cup of tea!
steph&ali

[Paul Tallet]

Hah ... Brian ... I never thought I would ever hear a chap from Castara ask for a cup of tea !!!

Good to hear from you ... keep sending the reports and keep up with the mopping !!

I'm off to boil the kettle and I'll have a cuppa on you.

[Brian Taylor]

we have enough english here to give us some influence....actually me, steph brought it up just now.
we don't know if it is slowing down or still building up, it comes in waves. first trees broke, landslides coming down, and it looks light and nice as if the rain would want to stop....but it doesn't....
hope to be over with that soon...scary thing it is.
still surprised that the connection is not down yet.

so much water and such a little mop...

steph&ali

ps: any more actual maps of it then at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
keep checking but still waiting for an update!

[K. Boone]

Two articles from T&T Express website (which was down but back up again).

Link to the Express is: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/

[Approx. noon AST] Hurricane Ivan is a category 3 hurricane.

It is bringing a lot of water and high winds to Tobago.
Our TV6 Tobago reporter (Patrice Price)is seeing people moving to gevernment shelters and high winds. There are over 120 people in shelters. The roads have debris and there is high water. Hurricane Ivan is expected to pass Tobago in about 90 minutes.

NEMA has held a press briefing on hurricane preparedeness and shelters. The police and military are all on alert with round the clock patrols. In Tobago the Eastern area is expected to be hardest hit and enhanced patrols will be in place. At the briefing police, fire and military spokemen assured the public of their readiness to assist.

13:30 Update -Ivan is now right over North Tobago.

A call from Max James at Channel 5 Tobago (off the air due to power loss)indicates that visibility is minimum, wind is very strong with power down in many areas, poles breaking, trees bent at over 40 degrees. He indicates that water on the ocean is over 20 feet. Galvanise on schools blowing off as well as houses. Channel 5 is on signal hill and is observing galvanise being ripped off the local school. Max own phrase is "peeling roofs off like banana skins"

The eye is passing to the North so Tobago will not receive mximum winds according to the weather men. However it is predicted that significant smaage will be experienced in agriculture. Winds should die off in about 2 hours. Storms and winds will continue through the evening but at lower than hurricane streght.

[Paul Tallet]

The eye looks to be about 10 miles north of Tobago.

The worst period is happening because the winds look the tightest around the south and east and of the eye which would probably explain the 'calm before the storm'.

I think there is another 2 to 3 hours yet in the conditions judging by the speed of the hurricane and then a gradual improvement.

I just hope that Ivan does not strengthen.

[Paul Tallet]

Good News

Trinidad downgraded to Tropical Storm warning.

Tobago still has hurricane warning but the worst should be over soon.

[K. Boone]

More from the Express (and it's really 3:00, not 3:30 p.m.):

3:30 Update - Ivan leaves Tobago and heads for Grenada

Ivan leaves Tobago and heads for Grenada leaving a trail of damaged roofs and flattened trees and plants.

In Trinidad there are reports of some landslides and trees down on the Toco road. Weather experts predict continued rain and storms throughout Trinidad and Tobago this afternoon and all night. The full force of the hurricane was not felt as the eye passed just to the North of Tobago and did not make landfall.

[Paul Tallet]

More good news.

I read from a link somewhere that there is no loss of life ... can someone confirm?

For Tobago it will get better from now on ... obviously some cleaning up to do.

As Tobago takes a breather, we should spare a thought for Grenada where the eye of Ivan is expected to make landfall very soon.

[Brian Taylor]

are not blown away...hope that was about it now. still a lot of rain and wind...storm...but no hurricane.
we got away with a black eye, others have been less lucky as we heared. the full damage will be ssen by tomorrow, I guess...
what an adventure for the tourists that have been here.
the radio tells about loss of life in grenada and barbados (not confirmed) but not in trinidad & tobago. praise the lord....
battery is low and current not back yet. so we are off now.
see you all tomorrow, we hope

steph&ali

[Arianne]

So good to hear from you guys!

[Roger D.]

Hi Folks;
Spoke to Trinidad at 07:00 Pm eastern, not alot happend in Trinidad, just some rain during the day and while I was on the phone the wind started to pick up - as far as Tobago, I understand that the windward or Atlantic side of the island there is damage but reports are still coming in and yes there are no reported loss of life - thank goodness for that ! We all hope for the best.
As far as the fellow that lost his eqiupment and broke down - well maybe that's a sign for him to relax in Tobago and get his mind off his troubles!

[Roger D.]

Hi Paul, Steve and others, here's the latest from the Trinidad Express;

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/

[Steve Wooler]

Good Morning Tobago

Well, let's be thankful that their is apparently no injury or loss of life from Ivan.

My understanding is that there is extensive property damage, with the roofs having been blown off some buildings in 14 villages.

Sadly, I have still had no contact with anyone on the island. Telephone and power lines must be down, so we may just have to be patient. If anyone has managed to make contact with anyone on the island, or anyone on the island does manage to connect and read this, PLEASE give us an update. I appreciate that you will have you hands full mopping up and getting everything repaired, but we have an awful lot of overseas property owners who are desperate for some indication of whether their property is intact.

Thanks and good luck!

[Mark Muncaster]

Excel still flying tomorrow from gatwick.
Will inform all of damage when I get back