Bret Pelts Winds and Heavy Rains on Caribbean Islands before Moving Away from Lesser Antilles

Martinique, Guadeloupe, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados were pelted with stiff winds and heavy rain which caused flooding and dangerous surfs as Tropical Storm Bret is now slowly moving away from the Lesser Antilles.

Bret washed away a house and damaged another home in St Vincent and the Grenadines while knocking off power there for half of the population

The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) said in an update that “one house was destroyed, two house roofs blown off, three significantly damaged and one house washed away.  A small craft was washed away at Owia”.

Schools will remain closed today while St Vincent remains under a Tropical Storm Warning even as Bret moves away. A flash flood warning is also in effect for that island and residents are encouraged to remain indoors. 

At 5 am, the center of Tropical Storm Bret was located near latitude 13.4° North; longitude 62.9° West, or approximately 115 miles (185 kilometres) west of SVG.  

Tropical Storm Bret is moving towards the west at 18 mph (30 km/h) with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (97 km/h) with higher gusts.  

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (185 km) from the centre. A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for SVG. 

A small craft and high surf warning is in effect until further notice. All vessels should remain in port. Sea-bathers are advised to stay out of the water. 

Meanwhile in Barbados, the Grantly Adams International Airport reported sustained wind of 44 mph (70 km/h) and a gust of 56 mph (91 km/h).

St. Lucia Prime Minister Philip Pierre has encouraged the island’s residents to “Protect your lives, property, and livelihoods.”

The National Hurricane Center said early Friday that the center of Bret is over the Eastern Caribbean Sea, resulting in “heavy rains and strong winds over portions of the Winward Islands.”

Bret is the second named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1 and will end on November 30.