Dominica’s Douglas-Charles Airport Reopens

Caribbean News Service

ROSEAU, Dominica, Mar 16, 2016 – The Douglas-Charles Airport officially re-opened Wednesday. A Government issued statement said all essential services have been fully restored.

Late afternoon on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, the Douglas-Charles Airport was closed due to flooding caused by the Melville Hall River which affected the ground floor of the Airport Terminal.

Based on an assessment done by airport personnel, the runway and aircraft parking areas were not affected. However, because of the flooding of the terminal building the airfield was temporarily closed.

Following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika in August 2015, the Government of Dominica signed an EC$31.27 million contract with SOTRADOM SAS to undertake rehabilitation works of the facility to include the following scope: (i) the western end of the runway; (ii) resurfacing of the apron; (iii) resurfacing of the taxi ways; (iv) restoration of the runway shoulders; (v) drainage along the runway; (vi) repairs to the access road and construction of retaining walls along the river; (vii) restoration of the runway drainage and; (viii) rehabilitation of the damaged road leading to Wesley. Work is ongoing and is expected to be completed by June 2016.

In addition to further improving the safety of the Douglas-Charles Airport, dredging of the Melville Hall River will commence as soon as the level of the river recedes.

The Ministry of Public Works and Ports has apologized for any inconvenience caused as a result of the closure of the Douglas-Charles Airport and thanks the traveling public and the personnel at the Airport for understanding the need for taking such a decision out of an abundance of caution.

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