Antigua and Barbuda’s former Chief Health Inspector says improper burial methods, not groundwater, caused recent flooding at the new Tranquility Park cemetery, where videos showed water pooling after heavy rains from Tropical Storm Jerry.
Lionel Michael, who oversaw the nation’s burial grounds for decades, said the issue stems from how graves were constructed and maintained, but can be corrected with better design and management.
Michael said there was “no groundwater coming up on those graves,” explaining that the problem occurred because of “the way the burials were done.” He added that burial practices and methods should be reviewed so rainwater does not collect on or in graves.
He explained that soil tests at the Tomlinson’s site—where the new cemetery was developed—found no evidence of underground water.
The area’s clay-type soil, while tight and difficult to drain, was deemed suitable for burials when the location was first examined two decades ago.
Michael, who helped evaluate several potential cemetery sites in 2003 and 2004, recalled that about 46 acres were originally designated for public use, expected to last the nation more than 70 years.
The first burials at Tranquility Park took place in September 2025, roughly 22 years after the old public cemetery at No. 10 Gambles was declared full.
He said the problem likely arose because burial mounds were removed too quickly, or graves were not built high enough above ground level.
When it rains, he said, the water simply settles, and he recommended that officials reassess the elevation of new graves and maintain higher mounds for longer periods to prevent pooling.
Michael also urged the government to reconvene a technical committee of engineers, health officials and planners to review drainage and landscaping across the site.
He described the situation as “not a major crisis,” but one that should be addressed early “if the cemetery is to serve the nation for decades as intended.”
Tranquility Park, located near the national hero’s resting place at Tomlinson’s, replaced the century-old St. John’s Public Cemetery, which was officially closed in 2003.
