Hurricane Lenny causes US$25M in damages

Hurricane Lenny brought a shock to many in the Caribbean islands at the close of the traditional hurricane season in this hemisphere. The weather system killed nearly a dozen people and caused more than US$25 million in damages in the Windward Islands.

The storm churned up waves that smashed boats, washed away roads, scattered debris, tore at hotels and slid homes into the sea.
"It is difficult to see which way the wind is blowing. It seems to come from all directions at the same time. It was blasting through our house and shrieking through the shutters," said a resident of Anguilla.

Although its wind speed fell to 75 mph (125 kph) before reaching Antigua, just barely above the 74 mph (118 kph) hurricane threshold, its torrential 10- to 15-inch (25 cm to 38 cm) rains were unrelenting, triggering floods and mudslides in mountainous areas.

"There's just tons and tons of water," a telephone operator in Anguilla said.
One man died on St. Maarten and another was missing on St. Kitts. A man died in San Juan when he fell off a ladder while securing his television antenna. Two fishermen were reported drowned as far south as Colombia's Caribbean coast.
The US Coast Guard rescued a man who rode out Lenny's intense winds and raging seas off the US Virgin Island of St. Croix in a life raft.

"It's incredible. Going right through the eye of the storm in 120 mph (193 kph) winds, with gusts pushing to 150 mph (241 kph)," a Coast Guard spokesman said.
Rescuers still searched for two men last heard from on Wednesday when they abandoned their sailboat in a life raft off St. Croix, which took a direct hit from Lenny.

Virgin Islands Governor, Charles Turnbull said St. Thomas and St. John were "in relatively good shape."
But St. Croix was battered by a 15-foot (5-metre) storm surge that smashed homes, shops, docks and restaurants.
"We lost almost the entire second floor," said Allen Mallory, General Manager, Divi Carina Bay Resort, which reopened only two weeks before, after recovering from severe damage of 1989's Hurricane Hugo.

"There is extensive damage throughout." A 20-foot (6-metre) section of the cruise ship pier in Frederiksted on St. Croix's west coast was washed away, raising fears about cruise business during the winter tourist season.
Virgin Islands Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James said damage on the south side of St. Croix was "considerable," with boats littering the shoreline, utility poles down, and a ballpark destroyed.

Alexander Moorhead of the giant HOVENSA refinery on St. Croix reported damage was minimal. HOVENSA is a joint venture of Amerada Hess Corp. and Petroleos de Venezuela SA.

Telephones and power were out on several islands. Nevis shut off its water system, fearing contamination from flooding. Those with phone service called local radio stations to relay messages, hoping the broadcasts would reach isolated areas.
"Nina in Eustatius, your aunt in St. Maarten wants you to know she's OK," a Nevis broadcaster advised.

The violent seas halted boat deliveries of food for several days, raising fears there could soon be shortages, a Nevis resident said.
In Grenada, roaring waves washed rows of homes into the sea at Charleston Harbour and in the tiny fishing town of Gouyave.
Surf washed away some 40 houses, leaving scores of people homeless in St. Lucia's tourism capital, Soufriere.

On St. Kitts, a crew member from a cargo vessel that ran aground was reported missing in the raging seas.
Lenny struck very late in the six-month Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ended on November 30. It was the fifth major hurricane of the season and the eighth hurricane overall.

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