Minister Turner, NODS Pleased with National Response to Tropical Storm Jerry

Minister of State with responsibility for disaster response, Rawdon Turner, has commended the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) for its swift and coordinated response before, during, and after the passage of Tropical Storm Jerry last week.

Minister Turner said the country’s disaster teams were “ready for any eventuality,” noting that shelters were opened in every district and communication between agencies remained strong throughout the storm. He also expressed gratitude that there were no casualties or serious injuries reported.

Deputy NODS Coordinator Craig Cole echoed the minister’s sentiments, describing the response as “effective and timely.” He confirmed that only two rescue operations were required, both on the Airport Road, where floodwaters trapped a bus and another vehicle.

Cole said the agency took decisive action to block the Pigotts main road, which had become dangerously flooded. He explained that years of backfilling in nearby ponds caused excess runoff to converge on a narrow bridge, creating unsafe conditions.

Ahead of the storm, NODS teams had cleared waterways and trimmed trees to reduce flooding risks. However, some areas like Hodges Bay still experienced heavy flooding when a plastic barrel blocked the main drainage path.

Six assessment teams were deployed island-wide the following day to evaluate conditions and ensure that economic activities could resume quickly.

The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) was officially activated on Thursday evening after consultation with Prime Minister Gaston Browne.

Tropical Storm Jerry dumped more than nine inches of rain in northern Antigua and over four inches in other parts of the island, while rainfall figures for Barbuda were not immediately available.