-injuries also reported
Three women were crushed to death yesterday on a farm at Jawalla, Region Seven after trees were uprooted during a violent storm while six others are critical including a toddler.
Dead are Celina Hope, Celis Albert and Godfreda Fredricks, (ages and addresses unknown.) Information has been difficult to receive from the remote indigenous community in Cuyuni/Mazaruni. Some of the injured are said to be at the Kamarang Hospital.
A mother identified as Lamona Hunte and her 1-year-old toddler Shamdeo Hunter are in critical condition with the toddler suffering a broken arm and other serious injuries. Teddy Richmond and Ramesh Cramer are among others who were seriously injured.
Stabroek News was informed that the women and others were clearing a farm at Jawalla Village yesterday. At about midday they stopped for lunch and dispersed into separate camps that were beside each other. It was around this time that the storm swept through the area and uprooted several trees, crushing the three women and seriously injuring the others. The persons who survived on the farm were those who were not in the makeshift camp.
The injured are yet to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital because of unfavourable weather conditions.
Police today issued the following statement
Deadly incident at Jawalla
— three women dead, four injured
Three persons died and four others were injured during a violent storm at about 15:00 hrs yesterday afternoon at Jawalla Backdam, Mazaruni River, in Region #7.
Sergeant Simon, Detective Constable Robertson and other ranks from Regional Division #7 visited the scene last night and based on investigations thus far, it was revealed that there was a heavy downpour of rain with gusting winds during the storm, which saw several trees being uprooted. At that time, about ten (10) persons were at a farming camp owned by Olivia Henry when a large tree nearby suddenly fell and crashed down on the camp, resulting in the death of:
** Celeste Albert, a 34-year-old female Amerindian farmer of Jawalla Village
** Selina Hope, a 69-year-old female Amerindian farmer of Jawalla Village
** Godfrena Fredericks, a 25-year-old female Amerindian farmer of Jawalla
The four persons injured are:
** Ramesh Michael, a 23-year-old Amerindian farmer (fractured skull)
** Teddy Richmond, a 33-year-old Amerindian miner (trauma to left side chest and abdomen)
** Shanvio Hunter, age one year (trauma to head and fracture to left arm and lacerations to right leg)
** Lamona Hunter, a 30-year-old female Amerindian (fracture to left legs and hand)
The injured persons were taken out to Kamarang Hospital and are presently receiving treatment, while the dead bodies are at the Jawalla Health Post, awaiting arrangements for PME.