U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ASSESSING DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE MARIA

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (September 20, 2017) - The Government of the United States Virgin Islands is working to assess damage to the Territory following the passage of Hurricane Maria.

The eye of the Category 5 storm passed south of St. Croix overnight (Tuesday into early Wednesday morning), bringing with it hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall and flooding. The islands of St. John, St. Thomas and Water Island, which are still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Irma, endured tropical storm conditions.

The Department of Tourism continues to encourage travelers to postpone trips to the islands at this time as it further evaluates the damage caused by the hurricanes and coordinates evacuation efforts.

Communication throughout the Territory is limited, and the Department of Tourism is in the process of collecting information from tourism stakeholders.

"We are thankful for life today - let's continue to support each other as we recover from these weather events," said Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Commissioner of Tourism.

The Department of Tourism will continue to provide updates once received, and thanks everyone for their thoughts, prayers and assistance as the Territory works on its recovery efforts. To assist with the recovery and reconstruction, visit www.usvirecovery.org .

For further information on the impact of the recent storms, visit  www.usviupdate.com .

 

About the U.S. Virgin Islands

For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to  VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Twitter ( @USVITourism) and become a fan on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI). When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel - including on-line check-in - making travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands easier than ever. As a United States Territory, travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands does not require a passport from U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are the same as for entering the United States from any foreign destination. Upon departure, a passport is required for all but U.S. citizens.