Tuesday, 5th November 2024

Dominica set to safeguard Melville Hall Airport from floods

French company finally began construction work on the new retaining wall project in the autumn near international airport Melville Hall of Dominica

Friday, 2nd August 2019

Clad in yellow vests, safety helmets and protective glasses, a group boards a hoist alongside the river in-the-works near the airport. Construction crew members step inside the bright light – one by one – lending a hand when it's needed.

After months of preparations, French company finally began construction work on the new retaining wall project in the autumn near international airport Melville Hall of Dominica. The project adjoining Dominica's international airport is set to be completed in the next five months.

According to an official of Emile Gaddarkhan Et Fils – which is constructing the river retaining wall near the airport – said that during sea tempest the Erika in the year 2015 the airport was filled with water and all international flight connections were interrupted. "It was Erika hurricane, which affected the only international airport in the country. Following the situation, Canefield Airport was the only connection for the flights, that additionally couldn't give enough runway to the heavy planes; it is constrained to 16-seater flights only."

The company official told WIC News that the 6.3 million dollars (East Caribbean Dollar) project is started to channelize the stream to beat the significant progressions of the waterway to enter Melville Hall Airport. "Under this project, the company is set to build a wall on the airport side of the river to channelize it towards the Atlantic Ocean, so that overflow of water in flood situation can be controlled."

Dominica a little island nation which endured the critical cataclysms of nature, one hurricane Erika in 2015, and wrath of nature Maria, which is classified as a highest destructive storm that occurred on the world history. Bringing back the country on its own feet was a serious errand for the government, however, following the CBI (Citizenship by Investment) program wilted bloom is blossoming again in the grasses of Dominica.

However, it is to be mentioned that Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit promises the new state of the art international airport, but until the time airport is not built, it is need of great importance to give basic conveniences to the Melville Hall Airport.