Torrential rains hit the Caribbean as Barbados celebrates 50 years of independence.

Heavy rain and flooding hit Barbados on Tuesday as the Caribbean island celebrated its 50 years of independence.

British royal Prince Harry arrived just in time for the storm and the celebration.

“I’ve never seen rain like this … never,” he told a group of welcoming dignitaries.

Other nearby islands also reported torrential rains.

Guadeloupe reported 83mm of rain on Tuesday – about a third of the island’s November average – and St Lucia reported 100mm, which is more than half of its monthly average.

In St Vincent and the Grenadines, a number of homes were destroyed by the storms, according to the country’s online news website iWitness News.

Bridges were also damaged and destroyed, and heavy flooding also exposed a number of graves at the Sandy Bay Cemetery.

The National Emergency Management Organisation has ordered schools to remain closed on Wednesday, and it has urged people to take appropriate precautions.

More torrential downpours are expected across the region on Wednesday. Now that the ground is saturated, there is a high risk of landslides across the Caribbean islands.