U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (September 20, 2017) – The Government of the United States Virgin Islands is working to assess damage to the Territory following the passage of Hurricane Maria.
The eye of the Category 5 storm passed south of St. Croix overnight (Tuesday into early Wednesday morning), bringing with it hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall and flooding. The islands of St. John, St. Thomas and Water Island, which are still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Irma, endured tropical storm conditions.
The Department of Tourism continues to encourage travelers to postpone trips to the islands at this time as it further evaluates the damage caused by the hurricanes and coordinates evacuation efforts.
Communication throughout the Territory is limited, and the Department of Tourism is in the process of collecting information from tourism stakeholders.
“We are thankful for life today – let’s continue to support each other as we recover from these weather events,” said Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Commissioner of Tourism.
The Department of Tourism will continue to provide updates once received, and thanks everyone for their thoughts, prayers and assistance as the Territory works on its recovery efforts. To assist with the recovery and reconstruction, visit www.usvirecovery.org.
For further information on the impact of the recent storms, visit www.usviupdate.com.