Following the violent storm in a farm at Jawalla Village, Region Seven, that claimed the lives of three women on Thursday afternoon, the weather conditions improved enough yesterday for the four injured persons to be airlifted to Georgetown for further medical attention.
On Thursday, 34-year-old Celeste Albert, 69-year-old Selina Hope, and 25-year-old Godfreda Fredericks, all of Jawalla Village were crushed to death by falling trees when a storm hit the farm where they were working.
Ramesh Michael, 23, sustained a fractured skull; Teddy Richmond, a 33-year-old miner, suffered trauma to the left side chest and abdomen; Shavio Hunter, a 1-year-old, suffered trauma to the head, fracture to the left arm and laceration to the right leg; and Lamona Hunter, 30, sustained a fracture to the left leg and hand.
According to the Kamarang Village toshao, Lemuel Thomas, two other persons were injured during the storm but they refused medical attention and opted to remain in the village. Efforts were made to transport them to Kamarang Hospital by boats, but they declined that also.
According to police, at about 3pm on Thursday, at Jawalla Backdam, Mazaruni River, Region #7, there was a heavy downpour with gusting winds which uprooted several trees.
At the time, some ten persons were at a farming camp owned by Olivia Henry when a large tree suddenly fell on the camp, claiming the lives of three women and injuring four others. The injured persons were transported to Kamarang Hospital, while the dead bodies are at the Jawalla Health Post, awaiting arrangements for post mortem examinations.
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. Those who were not injured were not in the makeshift camp. Information has been difficult to come by as the village is a remote Indigenous community in Cuyuni/Mazaruni.
Director General of the Civil Defence Commission, Nazrul Hussain, told Stabroek News yesterday that houses were not affected during the storm, however, several trees were uprooted.
