Dozens greet Christmas morning stuck in vehicles at Overland River

Dozens of Vincentians welcomed Christmas morning 2021 stuck at the Overland River, unable to cross because of heavy flow of water across the roadway.

Over 60 vehicles are stuck, unable to cross the Overland River (photo credit Rochelle Baptiste’s Facebook page)

Several residents of villages north of Overland had been returning home from Kingstown where they had gone to do last minute Christmas shopping when they got stuck, unable to travel further north than Overland.

Residents of Sandy Bay, Owia, Point and Fancy are among those affected.

The scene at the Overland River late on Christmas Eve. (photo credit Louann Lavia’s Facebook page)

Just before midnight on Christmas Eve, a resident of Owia, who had been waiting to cross since 5 pm, told SEARCHLIGHT that over 60 vehicles were stuck, unable to cross.

According to the resident, some people had been waiting for over nine hours.

A tractor was reportedly on site to clear the road, but unable to make much progress, because of the constant heavy flow of water and sand across the roadway.

Overland and communities north of the Overland River are located in the red volcano hazard zone and were among the people most badly affected by the eruption of La Soufriere earlier this year.

Sometime after midnight, it became possible for vehicles to pass.  The resident of Owia who had told SEARCHLIGHT that she had been stuck since 5 pm indicated that she arrived home shortly after 2 am.

The road at Overland when the river is in high flow (file photo)

[[UPDATED at 8:00 am on December 25, 2021 to indicate that the river eventually became passable after midnight, making it possible for vehicles to pass.]]