Heavy winds on Friday night peeled off roofing sheets, smashed fences and downed utility poles in two Region Five communities leaving the owners of 18 houses counting their losses.
Rain poured into homes through the breached roofs, damaging appliances and other household items.
Stabroek News was told that following heavy showers around 10 pm, a strong gust of wind blasted through Plantation Experiment and Plantation Hope, West Coast Berbice.
Regional Vice Chairman, Rion Peters visited the area yesterday morning to conduct an assessment. According to Peters, some of the houses suffered major structural damage which ultimately resulted in the rain entering.
Noting that the damage varied per household, he said that in one instance a wooden house collapsed on one side, crushing a motorcycle that was underneath. According to Peters, the male senior citizen, who was occupying that house, has since relocated to a relative’s house.
Peters stated that Angela Jagan’s house seemed to have suffered most of the damage. Jagan, 43, told the Sunday Stabroek that she was fast asleep when she heard a loud crashing sound just after 10 pm, after which “rain start come in.”
The woman said that she immediately ran and grabbed her 5-year-old son while her husband started to call on their neighbours for help. After the couple exited the house, it was then that they discovered that the roof had blown off and the side shed had collapsed.
“Everything in we house soak. The refrigerator, everything… We sleep by my neighbour, and the clothes I get on is what my neighbour give me”, the woman said yesterday morning.
She pleaded for assistance in repairing the roof at the earliest, as she explained that she cannot financially afford to do so on her own at the moment. “Lil bit, lil bit we build this house and I can’t able make back the roof now… Me really need some help”, Jagan pleaded.
Jagan can be contacted on telephone number 661-6149.
Peters yesterday told the Sunday Stabroek that with support from the region and residents, efforts were being made to repair as many roofs as possible.
Electricity
Meanwhile, the community was without electricity yesterday as the heavy winds also knocked down two GPL poles across the road.
As of yesterday afternoon, GPL remained in the area working to restore electricity to the affected residents.
Another resident, Gomattie Parag, 26, of Plantation Hope, explained that around 10 pm, following heavy rainfall they started to notice “zinc flying in the air.”
She relayed that she then looked outside and saw that her neighbour’s (the elderly man’s) house had collapsed on one side.
“We see the GPL post fall and then the light start blink in he house, we does call he ‘Old Bai’ so I tell my husband run and go long and see so my husband run out in the rain and went over.”
According to the woman, after calling on the elderly man he eventually answered from the gate and told them that he was okay.
“So we help he, and then we go back inside and then morning my husband tell me peep and see if the tank fall and when I look then I see the whole shed fall down and I tell my husband run come and see.”
She noted that her husband, who is a contractor, had his tools and equipment stored in the shed. Items which were damaged by the heavy rain include a welding plant, one three-piece chair set and one generator among other items.
Another resident identified as “Uncle Motie”, in Plantation Hope had his entire house – a galvanized sheet-covered structure – completely destroyed. He is currently staying at relatives contemplating his next move.
Abdul Rahim, who was all set to celebrate his 45th birthday yesterday, said that he lost around 20 bags of paddy valued at $90,000. The man also noted that three of his wardrobes along with three mattresses and beds were also damaged after his roof collapsed.
“After the roof come down and then the rain start fall the current went in the water so me couldn’t go try move anything, me had to lef all just so…Piece of the hall had shade and we sleep deh.”
According to him, his neighbours’ verandah “fly out and hit me fence and shed.”
Rahim, who resides with his wife and two children, pleaded for assistance, “Me buy that paddy to shy this crop coming. All them wardrobe swell up and everything destroy. We really need help, we really need help.”
Rahim can be contacted on telephone number 658 – 9428.
Another resident, Bimen Sawh lost one 32-inch television, one fridge, one microwave, one music set, and several galvanised sheets after his roof flew off.
Another resident, Dave Singh lost one 42-inch television, one wardrobe, one chest of drawers, and several galvanised sheets after his roof suffered damage as well.
Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag also visited the affected residents yesterday and a report was compiled to be forwarded to Georgetown, this newspaper was told.
