Anguilla Local News

Anguilla News: September 1995

News reports from Anguilla, as they were posted to the Net:

Two Weeks After Hurricane Luis

September 20th

Although Anguilla was hit hard (the center of Hurricane Luis went past the eastern tip of Anguilla, almost directly over Scrub Island), the Anguillans have made great progress already in returning to a normal life:

Thanks to help from the Royal Navy in repairs and community efforts in cleanup, the schools reopened this week. Unfortunately, many buildings still need expensive structural repairs.

Food markets never really closed: now they are restocked with fresh vegetables and frozen foods again. The items is shortest supply are batteries and bottled water (1/2 teaspoon of regular Chlorox in a 5 gallon bucket will chlorinate cistern water).

Ripples Restaurant on Sandy Ground re-opened on Wednesday before the storm had even finished, providing free soup to the dazed survivors as they struggled to cleanup the mess.

Shoal Bay Beach is as beautiful as ever, and bigger, up to 75' wider on the upper end.

The people at Anglec and Cable & Wireless are working incredibly hard. Power has been restored to essential businesses in the Valley (banks, grocery, etc.), as well as telephone service. The airport appears to be okay, it re-opened shortly after Luis (we flew in on Sunday, Sep 10, from St Thomas and there were taxicabs waiting for at the airport).

A lot of Anguillian boats survived the storm because they were pulled out of the water and trailered inland.

Trees are sprouting new growth. Palm trees survived Luis relatively well, especially Royal Palms. Although many were uprooted, the ones that held still had many fronds. I even saw a re-planted vegetable garden today with new plants already 6 inches high. Grass was the only living thing that actually seemed to like the storms: all the bottoms are a bright green. The Anguilla Beautification Club, headed by Lydia Shave the Governor's wife, is organizing a work party to save the new Ficus Benjamina trees along Queen Elizabeth Blvd.

Albert Lake's gas station is still pumping and we are still receiving gasoline shipments from Shell. The station never stopped because it has a generator. Today the station in Island Harbour was open, with a nice new palm-covered sand beach behind it.

Island TV announced yesterday that it has ordered new satellite dishes and is rebuilding. Core service should be resumed within two months and full service within six. They would appreciate it if you paid your August bill.

The gym and the tire shop got power today and are open for business. At least we won't get flabby.

House Okay in Little Harbour

September 26th. Following up on an e-mail inquiry, I can report that Karen Greenaway's house on Little Harbour appears to have survived intact. Karen has reportedly been flooded with inquiries and even offers to help rebuild if needed. There are other holiday homes less solidly built than Karen's which were blown to bits, so perhaps they could use the help instead.

Sombrero Lighthouse

September 28th. We forget that the lighthouse is part of Anguilla and has four resident lighthouse keepers. They spent the storm in the tower while Luis washed completely over the island, taking away all their possessions except what they were wearing. They were completely alone with no communication for 48 hours. The storm shook the tower so much that the regular mirrors fell and broke, so they put up a backup light. Since the storm the lighthouse keepers have been re-supplied and are carrying on their duty of warning shipping, under very difficult circumstances. (Reported on Radio Anguilla)

All Hotels Target Nov15-Dec 1 to Reopen.

September 29th.Five hotels are currently open and the rest plan to reopen by November 15 or December 1st (according to the Tourism Minister, who is also the Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes).

Generators Duty-Free For Another Week.

September 29th.You can import generators duty-free through October 9th. Previously you had to get a special permit (it was not easy to even find out how to apply) and then pay duty.

Anguilla Is Cooking!

September 29th.This weekend, Sat and Sun Sep 30/31, there is a party at Shoal Bay with Chicken, Ribs, Fish, Beer, Rum Punch and Cold Drinks all at reasonable prices. I went by Shoal Bay on the way to work today and saw that Uncle Ernie's was rebuilt. Smitty's in Island Harbour is open, across the street from the beach. Had dinner last night at La Sirena: full menu. Ken Roger's Old House Restaurant has reopened and Ken is building a new high-quality restaurant on Upper Shoal Bay (the foundation survived Luis and the walls and pillers started going up yesterday). Roy's is open on Crocus Bay.

Village Cleanup by the Community.

September 29th. Public Works working with volunteers have cleaned up the debris in many villages. Island Harbour, for example, had a lot of downed trees and wreckage along the shore, most of which is now gone, leaving a new wide sand beach on the harbour front.

Water Supply.

September 29th. Water department starts repairing the pipes etc. in Island Harbour and Sandy Ground on Monday, then other outlying areas. Most the The Valley and immediate surroundings already have piped water restored.

This was the first Anguilla Local News, Post Luis

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