(Barbados Nation) More than 50 houses in St Peter have been damaged by Tropical Storm Tomas.
This assessment from chairman of the northern District Emergency Office (DEO), Dave Hurley, came during a tour of worst-affected villages in the parish with parliamentary representative Owen Arthur earlier yesterday.
Hurley described the situation then as “critical”, noting that several houses were in need of some form of repair. He also said he was concerned that at the time that St Peter had been without electricity, phone and water services.
Later in the day, limited electricity service was restored, but Hurley said several key roads remained impassable owing to the heavy debris and fallen trees.
“We have severe damage; the arteries in some of the districts such as The Whim, Church Hill going towards Haymans, are still impassable and I haven’t gotten into Black Bless yet. But I understand they have some damage also.
“We are also without electricity; phones are down, so there is no communication within Boscobel/Collins and part of Diamond Corner,” he said.
The situation has been frustrating for villagers, including those in Gays, who said they had been experiencing electricity blackouts even before Tomas’ arrival.
Eighty-two-year-old Stella Phillips of Collins was also anxious to have something done about the torn roof of her uninsured home. So too was her closest relative Cheryl Phillips, whose home next door was also decapitated by Tomas.
Also desperately in need of help is Celeste Hurley, whose home is now a flooded mess, as well as the Lopez family of Johnson Road and the Clarke family of Castle – both of whom have been left without a place of their own to call home.
“From my estimate, I can say that we are looking to be over the 50-number mark for houses damaged or destroyed,” Hurley said.
Arthur described the damage as “significant” and promised to help in getting help to those most affected.
