Tropical storm Matthew strengthened to hurricane force on Thursday after leaving one dead and causing widespread flooding and landslides as it slowly made its way across the Eastern Caribbean on Wednesday evening.

Officials in St Vincent and the Grenadines confirmed that a fourth form secondary school student was crushed by a boulder during Matthew’s passage. Barbados, Dominica and Saint Lucia also reported flooding from the hours of rainfall. There were reports of some damage to property from gusty winds and fallen trees, and several communities experienced cuts in their electricity and water services.

The prime minister of Curacao, Dr Bernhard Whiteman, announced in a press conference late Thursday that the general elections due to take place on Friday will be postponed until next week Wednesday, October 5. This decision was made after consulting with political parties and other stakeholders.

Swells generated by Matthew are expected to affect portions of the coasts of Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Venezuela, and Colombia during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

 

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