Government Offices to Reopen as Power and Water Restoration Accelerates Post-Storm

After about 12 hours of cleanup, officials announced government offices will reopen Thursday while public schools remain closed, with efforts underway for a “hopeful reopening” of the seaports pending Coast Guard assessments, and the full restoration of electricity territory-wide.

At the latest Joint Information Center briefing late Wednesday evening, V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency Director Daryl Jaschen said both local airports reopened “successfully” Wednesday, though residents with flights are advised to check on their reservations as there have been some delays. About 15,000 visitors rode out the storm within the U.S. Virgin Islands and Jaschen said critical to getting some of them back home is bringing the ferries from St. Thomas-St. John up and running again.

With vegetation piling the roadways Wednesday morning in the wake of Tropical Storm Ernesto, Jaschen noted a green waste pileup at many of the dump sites and announced special hours for green waste disposal from Aug. 15-18 at the:

St. Thomas: Nazareth and Cancryn bin sites, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

St. John: Susannaberg Transfer Station, 7 a.m.- 3 p.m.

St. Croix: Anguilla Landfill, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Bins will be specially marked. Bulk waste bins will also be open at the same sites on Aug. 17-18, also from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Both of the territory’s landfills will be closed until noon on Thursday.