Post Grace clean-up underway islandwide

| 24/08/2021 | 14 Comments
Cayman News Service
DEH picks up vegetation debris after Tropical Storm Grace (from CIG social media)

(CNS): The National Roads Authority and the Department of Environmental Health, as well as community groups, non-profits and private sector companies, are now involved in an islandwide effort to clean up Grand Cayman following the passage of Tropical Storm Grace last week. The DEH has extended the opening hours at the dump, as vehicles continue to queue to unload the debris collected from yards all over the island.

The NRA has published a schedule for cleaning up the roadside areas and clearing drains. It is also fixing back dozens of street signs that were torn up during Grace’s powerful winds. Meanwhile, CUC is down to just a handful of customers who have not yet been reconnected.

The Department of Agriculture has issued advice to farmers and gardeners on how to reset fallen trees, as not all of them need to be chopped up and taken to the landfill. Toppled trees should be reset as soon as possible. They should also be pruned back to sound wood and cut well down to reduce the canopy to cut the pressure on the roots, making resetting and stabilizing the tree easier, the agriculture experts said.

Some trees will shift back to their original position once the top is removed, and with the help of slings or ropes attached to tractors, trees can be lifted up and placed back in the ground and propped up with braces.

CUC said that just 12 customers were without power yesterday evening but most of them should have been connected this morning. Everyone else should now have power except for customers who need to carry out electrical repairs to their home lines and will need approval from the Building Control Unit (BCU) before they can be reconnected.

While the damage has varied for residents across the islands, with significant damage to some homes and businesses, cars, boats and other property, government has not yet released an estimate of the cost to repair the damage. However, government has scheduled a press briefing for Wednesday afternoon, when it will be discussing the current situation regarding COVID-19 and the impact of Tropical Storm Grace.

NRA Drain Cleaning and Debris Management Schedule 23-25 August

For more on the areas without power, check the CUC Outage Map to confirm that the outage has been recorded and to obtain the estimated outage restoration time.

Those without power but whose neighbours have electricity should leave a message on the Outage Hotline at 945-1282, which is being monitored. To report downed power lines, fires or other electrical safety issues, please call 911.

The landfill will be open 6:30pm tonight and tomorrow, resuming normal hours on Thursday. But the landfill drop-off at the gate will remain accessible for the public and small vehicles 24 hours per day. For more information, call DEH Customer Service at 949-6696.


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Category: Local News

Comments (14)

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  1. anonymous says:

    When will the trees be cleared and the Esterly Tibbets be 4 lane again in West Bay?

  2. Anonymous says:

    Calling-in from WBW:

    Missing!

    One male constituency representative! His presence in his constituency since 2017 has been reported but he has rarely been seen. However, he is known to make frequent appearances in the media and Courts system. Was supposed to commence clean-up processes in the constituency but is seemingly otherwise “occupied”.

    Signifying traits – may smell of alcohol, displays extreme and violent anger (especially against women), may rarely display ethics or integrity, will likely consider any form of disagreement with him as being his “enemy”. May often have a large number of “hangers-on” or political dependents in tow.

    If anyone sees this missing representative, please display restraint as vindictive reactions may be expected. However, please try to remind him that clean-up in his constituency needs attention!!

  3. Anonymous says:

    Can anyone explain why the waste removal guys actually went into my neighbours garden to collect their waste (Jamaicans) and drove straight past the pile of waste I’d left at the end of my drive?

  4. Anonymous says:

    Anyone still things the regiment was a bad idea.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Hirst Road , Savannah Newlands , to North Sound Estates /Sunrise areas not listed in the schedule.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Has anybody seen the Red Bay representative Alden McLaughlin around anywhere? Did he get blown away in TS Grace? We need you in Red Bay please.

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