As of Tuesday, 8th June, the Girls’ High School (GHS), situated on Murray’s Road, ceased to be an Emergency Shelter for persons displaced as a result of the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano.
The 140 odd evacuees who were sheltered there hailed primarily from the Georgetown area, designated to be within the Orange Zone.
When the all-clear was given for persons from the Orange Zone to return to their homes, many persons took the opportunity to do so.
Included among these (persons) was the majority of evacuees at the Girls High School whose resettlement was assisted by the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO).
Evacuees from Sandy Bay and Overland – Red Zone – who had been housed at the GHS and were not cleared to return home, were resettled at the Doris Mc Kie Learning Centre, Cane Hall. This, confirmed by Headmistress of the GHS – Mrs. Michelle Beache.
During the Wednesday 9th June edition of NBC’s Eyeing La Soufriere programme, Acting Prime Minister and parliamentary representative of North Windward, Montgomery Daniel, in answer to a caller’s query about why persons who were assumed to be living in the Red Zone were returned, said, “The demarcation established by the mapping of NEMO has indicated that up to Caratal can be considered in the Orange Zone. When the decision was made to have persons going back to the Orange Zone it was up to Caratal.”
Once the movement of evacuees from the GHS was complete, attention turned to readying the compound for resumption of classes.
Drapes were removed from windows and an initial cleaning undertaken.
Yet to be undertaken, according to Mrs. Beache, would be a full power-washing and sanitization of the compound to achieve what the she called, “a deep cleaning of the entire school.”