Update on how the community is coping with the July storm crisis

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Latest Storm News from the island

A storm caused widespread damage in Tristan's settlement in July 2019. This page reports on the damage and progress with repairs. See our Storm of July 2019 page for the full story.

The storm which buffeted the Tristan da Cunha Settlement on the night of Thursday 18th July
caused widespread damage, and is regarded as the most damaging natural disaster
to effect the island since the October 1961 volcanic eruption.

This is the latest update as the community starts to repair the damage.

Older photo of Tristan da Cunha showing the 1961 lava flow and the Settlement

Report and photos from Acting Administrator Lorraine Repetto
Sending emails from the Internet Cafe on Saturday 27th July 2019

Saturday is a cold day with hail squalls, so conditions not very pleasant for the teams repairing damage. Hopefully they will make some progess.

Some aspects of village life have been unaffected by the storm and the Island Store, Hospital & Churches are functioning as normal. The Albatross Bar is not yet operational.

The Administration Building remains out of bounds. The Finance Department will move to a Government guest house on Monday 29th and should be operational before long.

The severely damaged St Mary's School has been closed since the storm. Once the Crèche has been made watertight, classes will move into adjacent rooms and lessons should resume next week.

The Albatross Bar is not yet operational but the Internet Café is working and is being used for key people like Lorraine to be able to send and receive emails while offices are out of action.

We await more information on the severely damaged St Mary’s School and fishing factory (other than photos) as well as the harbour and areas beyond the Settlement.

Lorraine's photos below sent on 25th July show more scenes of damage in the Tristan Settlement

CEO House with damaged roof

Interior of the Police Station wrecked by the storm

Foreground shows the search and rescue RIB boat house;
behind the roofless Police Station and beyond the Administration Building.

Radio / Communications Building