Flooding Kills at Least 8 in St. Lucia and St.Vincent

A total of at least 8 people have been found dead after heavt flooding in the islands of St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. In the heavily hit area of North Leeward in northwestern St. Vincent, a family of five was killed when a house was swept into their home. Sixty-two people had taken refuge at a school converted to a shelter.

In St Lucia a policeman was killed while reportedly trying to save people who were in difficulty, after torrential rain on Christmas Eve. St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony described the damage as an emergency and a major setback for the country. "I don't think I can recall when we have had such heavy rainfall on the eve of Christmas," he said.

Another among the eight killed was a cousin of St. Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, Cassian Gonsalves, who died on Tuesday night when a landslide crashed through his house, Cassian's cousin Mark Boyea said. Traditional Christmas Eve midnight religious services were cancelled and several churches in the capital of Castries opened their doors to stranded people.

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