Twenty-nine people from nine families left their homes after heavy rainfall caused flooding and landslides across St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday night.

The National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) said 17 of the twenty-nine people moved into public shelters. The other 12 stayed with relatives or in private homes.

Five people from three families went to the Buccament Bay Secondary School Shelter. Another 12 people from three families went to the Golden Years Centre in Buccament.

Other families also left their homes because of severe damage or landslide threats. In Rillan Hill, six family members lost their home after a structure suffered total destruction. Families in Clare Valley and Chauncey also moved in with neighbours and relatives because of landslide risks.

Floodwaters also reached the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, the country’s main healthcare facility. NEMO said workers contained the water while health officials assessed the facility and checked for damage.

The Ministry of Health suspended outpatient clinics at the hospital and the Levi Latham Health Centre for a second consecutive day. The ministry said normal visiting at the hospital would resume at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

NEMO teams recorded 44 incidents across the country. These included 15 flooding cases, 13 landslides, five blocked roads or debris incidents, and three fallen trees. Flooding also affected the Vermont Police Station.

Several businesses along Upper and Lower Bay Street in Kingstown also experienced the effects of the heavy rainfall. Prime Minister Godwin Friday visited affected homes, businesses and the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Police officers rescued several families trapped by floodwaters near the Buccament playing field. BRAGSA also sent heavy equipment crews to clear roads. The work began along Belmont Main Road and in central Kingstown.

The flooding also disrupted water supplies. The Central Water and Sewerage Authority said heavy silt covered the dam at the Majorca Water Supply System. Crews must remove the silt manually before the system can resume water collection. Officials expect the work to take about two days.

VINLEC continued efforts to restore electricity in affected communities. The company restored power to many areas but reported outages in several locations.

The tropical wave produced 130.2 millimetres, or 5.1 inches, of rain over 24 hours. The twenty-nine displaced residents were among those affected by the severe weather.

Forecasters urged residents and motorists in areas prone to flooding and landslides to remain alert, particularly near rivers and streams.