Torrential rains fell on several municipalities in Guadeloupe on Sunday, causing floods and landslides.
They occurred a few weeks after the storm Fiona which caused great damage on the island.
Guadeloupe remains on orange alert (level 3 out of 4) for heavy rains and thunderstorms by Météo France.
In Martinique, again placed in yellow vigilance on Sunday (level 2 out of 4) after being placed in orange on Saturday, intense showers copiously sprinkled the northeast of the island, said Météo France.
Landslides have occurred in particular in the municipality of Sainte-Marie.
" I am very worried.
I ask everyone to stay at home, ”said Nestor Azerot, mayor of the town, on local radio RCI.
In just six hours, Météo France reported cumulative rain reaching 95 mm in Trinité-Spoutourne, i.e. 95 liters per square meter, 91 mm (91 L/m²) in Sainte-Marie-Pérou, 72 mm (72 L/ m²) in Lorraine.
These three municipalities are located in the sector where rapid rises in water levels have been reported.
A “critical peak”
Guadeloupe has been experiencing an episode of intense rain since Saturday due to “upwellings of humid and unstable air generated jointly by a South-East flow on the Atlantic side and a South-West flow on the Caribbean side.
They are linked to an area of low pressure deepening to the south of the island of Hispaniola, ”explains Météo France.
“Very heavy and torrential rains were recorded in six hours, especially on the Petit-Bourg side with 250mm (critical peak; 250 L/m²), 100 mm on the Goyave side (100 L/m²) and 68 mm (68 L/m²) in Baie Mahault,” the weather service added.
“The final improvement is expected on Tuesday.
But it should be gradual.”
"Given the very worrying evolution of the situation in Goyave", the mayor of the commune, Ferdy Louisy triggered "the communal safeguard plan (PCS)" which made it possible to evacuate populations located in risk zones.
He notably reported a rise in water in areas already affected in mid-September by flooding due to storm Fiona.
Schools (primary, kindergarten, college, high school) in Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes, La Désirade and Saint-Martin will remain closed on Monday due to the risk of flooding, announced the rector of the academy, Christine Gangloff -Ziegler, and the regional prefect, Alexandre Rochatte.
Water supply problems have been reported in Baie-Mahault and Petit-Bourg, the Guadeloupe Water and Sanitation Management Syndicate said.