Sept. 17, 2004 – Cleanup efforts progressed steadily Friday at the territory's public schools and roadsides, as school officials and Department of Public Works crews worked on restoring the territory to normal.
Tropical Storm Jeanne battered the territory early Wednesday through Thursday with heavy rains and winds, flooding roads, schools, businesses and homes and even downing utility poles and some trees.
Students had been home from school since Wednesday because of the stormy weather and will remain home until Monday, when schools should reopen. Government workers returned to work Friday, many to clean up offices and, in the case of teachers, classrooms.
"It's going along well," James O'Bryan Jr., Government House spokesman, said Friday evening of the cleanup efforts. "Some areas were more damaged than others, but I have not seen any extensive damage."
In St. Thomas, Brookman Road received damage due to heavy rains and flooding. Roads in St. John also received potholes from the heavy rain. In St. Croix residents had some flooding, especially in flood-prone areas such as Estate Mon Bijou, O'Bryan said. (See the St. Croix story, "Mon Bijou Residents Dazed in Flood's Aftermath").
Public Works crews worked throughout the day to clear the roads of debris on all three islands.
"We're waiting for assessments to come in," O'Bryan said. "But roads should be back to normal."
Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has not determined the total cost of damages caused by Jeanne as he is waiting on the assessments, O'Bryan said.
Work will continue through the weekend on the territory's public schools: "All public schools should be ready by Monday with the exception of one or two," O'Bryan said.
He would not specify which schools, saying he was waiting for assessment reports over the weekend and would notify the media of any schools that will not reopen on Monday, if need be.
Lt. Gov. Vargrave Richards, who toured public schools in St. Croix on Friday, said in a news release, "As I toured the island today, I observed that most of our educational facilities sustained water damage from the deluge of rains we experienced during and after Tropical Storm Jeanne. Across St. Croix, the schools suffered from mostly flooding and fallen ceiling tiles."
John H. Woodson Junior High School in particular sustained heavy mud and water damage to its gymnasium and cafeteria. Central High School had some downed power poles and the Charles H. Emanuel School had some electrical problems, Richards said.
"I commend the hardworking and dedicated employees who were on site cleaning up water and debris, and other agencies who helped with the recovery efforts," Richards said. "The St. Croix schools in my estimation will be ready to reopen on Monday. I think it is best for our children that the schools resume normal operations immediately."
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