Low-lying areas in the capital endure severe flooding — weather not related to disturbances
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Meteorologists are continuing to monitor two disturbances in the Atlantic Basin that have a 20 percent chance of forming into systems over the next five days.
The disturbances are not related to the weather experienced over the weekend.
Meteorologist Shezelle Mather told Eyewitness New while there is currently no system, the National Hurricane Centre is expecting a broad area of low pressure to form.
“As the pressure forms, there is potential for development later on in the week,” she said.
“Within the next five days they are giving it a 20 percent chance of development, however, after the low pressure actually forms, more than likely they will upgrade.”
If either system develops into a tropical storm, it would be the 26th named storm of the year.
Mather further noted that the weather residents across the country experienced over the weekend was a “slow-moving cold front in combination with the northern end of a tropical wave”.
The Met department issued a special weather statement for the entire country, advising that unsettled conditions would result in moderate to heavy showers, strong to severe thunderstorms, and extensive flooding in low lying and flood-prone areas.
Among those areas in New Providence to see significant flooding over the weekend was South Beach and Pinewood, which has historically had challenges with flooding when it rains.
In Pinewood, residents could be seen moving around the community, wading through the water, despite the 24-hour weekend lockdown currently in effect on New Providence and Abaco.
One resident, in a post on Facebook, wrote: “We supposed to be lockdown for the weekend, but it looks like we will be lockdown for the week”.
He posted a recording of two other residents who were passing his home in small canoes.
Residents in San Salvador also reported adverse conditions on the island over the weekend, including reports of a tornado that hit the island on Saturday.
One San Salvador resident who spoke to Eyewitness News said they watched as items were picked up by the tornado and began flying around in the air – including an old payphone.
She said afterward she could see items from other people’s yard and houses scattered in front of her home.
However, the met department said it has not received any reports of a tornado on the island.
