Virgin Atlantic VS98 damaged on landing by Christmas Eve flash flood in St Lucia?
Several islands in the Eastern Caribbean (St Vincent, St Lucia, Martinique and Dominica) had unexpected extreme rainfall on Christmas Eve causing landslides and flooding with a number of rivers bursting their banks. Confirmed deaths are 5 in St Lucia 8 in St Vincent with many getting stuck while doing Xmas shopping and not able to get home due to bridges/roads washed away. Midnight Mass was cancelled which - if you know the Caribbean - speaks volumes!
One of the incidents being reported was that VS 98 on its way from Crown Point Tobago to UVF Hewanorra, St Lucia was just cleared to land (approx 19.00LT) when the Vieux Fort river burst its banks sending a muddy wave through the terminal and over the runway.
The Virgin aircraft is reported to have sustained substantial damage to its landing gear - other reports suggest "a hole in the plane" bad enough to need a team flown in. Photos show the Hewanorra (TLPL)terminal under a foot of water.
Part of the problem seems to be that the Met radar in Martinique has been unservicable and other islands rely on those images for disaster preparedness. The St Lucia Met Office did not even put out their normal 18.00LT report on the 24th (and no reports on the 25th) as their equipment had been washed away.
Can anyone give any more information?