Monday, August 20th, 2007...10:02 am
Caribbean Terrace devastated, again
Francine Black, Gleaner Staff Reporter
For the second time in three years, homes in Caribbean Terrace in East Kingston have been devastated by a major hurricane.
Photo by Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer: this young man tries to make his way across the debris dumped on to the streets of Caribbean Terrace in Harbour View by Hurricane Dean during its passage yesterday.
The seaside community was almost washed off the map by storm surges, some as high as 50 feet. Some residents are still traumatised and shocked by the devastation.
Resident Shara Barnett said she, her family and neighbours are just grateful for being alive: “When the water started coming we run out and went into the house across there (across the street) and when we in the house, the water just come in a storm surge of about 50 feet and there were about 20 adults and five children in the house.”
“When we look the children were swimming in the water. We had to burst through the back and put the children over the wall and run over the wall and start running. While we running everybody just asking weh wi a go, weh wi a go,” said Ms. Barnett.
Thankfully a man saw them running down the main road and took some of them into his house, while others were picked up by police patrolling the area and taken to shelters.
The echoes of people screaming when the water burst through their doors and windows still lingers in her mind. “We heard screaming, screaming and screaming and we were wondering what is causing that and when we look out is our neighbours that run out of them house and water running out behind them,” she said.
Pointing to a two-door Suzuki Swift that perched on the edge of a retaining wall, she said the water that came was extremely dangerous. “Some ( residents) said they saw the water drag the car and just slap it on the wall,” she said.
At other homes the devastation was much of the same. The hurricane broke metal grills, and dragged cars dragged out of drive ways and parked them on lawns or piles of rubble.
Many residents shovelled silt from their homes as they tried to restore some semblance of normalcy to their lives. One woman who had battened down her house and moved to safety, came home to find the door and gates ripped off and the furniture in a rubble. She could hardly express her feeling about the devastation choosing to just sipped some Red Stripe beer as she stared at her family members trying to clean up the property.
While an evacuation order was issued, many of the residents said they did not leave as they did not expect it to be this bad. “In ‘Ivan’ it was not so bad. The water did not come so far that time,” said Ms. Barnett.
In the meantime, the police continued to maintain a presence in the community to prevent looting.
About 17 houses were destroyed in the community by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Last year Government decided to award $25.5 million to residents who had lost property in the storm as well as dredge the lower section of Hope River and creation of a buffer zone to prevent to minimise damage by future hurricane.
Feedback: francine.black@gleanerjm.com
12 Comments
August 20th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Caribbean was hard hit during Ivan! I remember seeing a house almost in the sea and burglar bars bent, twisted almost broken ..like it was board instead of iron!
They should have evacuated as they were advised. I’m just glad there are no fatalities …yet.
August 20th, 2007 at 11:17 am
I’m really sorry for all those poor people who suffered loss during Hurricane Dean.
I hope that Barbadians are taking stock as from what I have seen during Hugo and now Dean thousands people don’t seem to care too much about preparations (even my family). There was a time when I used to say I want to experience a hurricane, but after living in Antigua and seeing the way they prepare for a hurricane I don’t want that experience at all… any time I hear an advisory – I drop whatever I am doing and make preparations a priority … and thank God that Barbados has been spared – again!
August 20th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Thank God that more lives were not lost. I think that it is time that Jamaicans take more responisbility for the decisions they make to “stick it out” during these periods of grave uncertainty. A life cannot be replaced but personal possessions can be.
I hope we will be able to get it together quickly and get to the business of building the country.
August 20th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Shocking! The wrath of nature. Thank God there were no fatalities.Residents of such vulnerable communities need to take heed of evacuation warnings when they are issued by government authorities.
August 20th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
I am thankful that no one lost their life at Caribbean Terrace but we need to be a bit more pro-active and less stubborn. When nature is in its wrath there is no prediction what it can do.
We are Jamaicans and are very resilient so we will manage after…..continue to trust God
August 20th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
I am grateful that (so far) God spared the lives of the residents of Caribbean Terrace…but I cannot find it in me to have much sympathy for them. I, too, experienced Ivan 3 years ago, and I remember full well the devastation that occurred to that community then. Knowing that, and having experienced the power of a hurricane once before, NO-ONE should have been that STUPID to have risked the lives of themselves and their loved ones for the sake of a house and possessions. We Jamaicans seem to make it a habit of learning things the hard and painful way. WHEN THE EVACUATION ORDER COMES, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!!!
August 20th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
I grew up in Caribbean Terrace and I don’t think
that people should be so harsh with their criticism
toward their neighbours. My family was lucky to get out due to pass experience with Ivan. Nevertheless, it is hard for some people to leave behind what they have worked for all their lives. Furthermore, there were no fatalities. Due to pass experience people were probably afraid to leave their homes fearing vandalizism. We as Jamaicans should unite at this time when we need each other.
August 20th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
God is very kind and merciful to jamaica – thank Him that it was not a direct hit – imagine the devastation – i sincerely hope that the government will help those who are in desperate need and quickly. God keep blessing you.
August 21st, 2007 at 2:13 pm
To Robin my family lives in Caribbean Terrace and they left when they were told to leave but I guess if you had physical belongings there and all your life’s belongings being washed out you would talk different. Anyway to all my friends who live there I am glad you are all alive and hope to see you when I pass through.
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I spent many of my early years living with or visiting my grandparents in Caribbean Terrace. It was such a beautiful community, but look at it now. Something must be done. It was initially built as a scheme for civil servants if my information serves me right. Has anyone in public life with the funds to commit been to Caribbean Terrace to see what is needed to prevent future damage? There was so much talk after Ivan, and now look at what Dean has done.
It’s such a shame.
What will be done now? How will the residents be compensated and the community restored?
August 25th, 2007 at 11:56 am
I walked through Caribbean Terrace on Thursday with my husband Rodney who grew up there.
The pink house with the circle opening was where he used to live. That house went during Ivan.
We were shocked at the devastation suffered by the many families of the kids he grew up with. Thankfully there was no loss of life. However losing your possessions and all that you have worked for must be tragic.
Also the thought of not being able to start over but to pick up and continue with what you have left. Thank God for life and family of course. But think of the old folk who had settled nicely into there lovely homes, kids gone overseas or uptown trying also to make ends meet. Sandwich generation, some of you now have to look into the eyes of caring for your children and now your displaced parents, who were loving their own time of independence and visits from Grandkids. We still thank God for life.
I wish the Government would take this opportunity to place Caribbean Terrace into starter homes somewhere with whatever insurance money is collected. The name, personality and character of the community of Caribbean Terrace should not be washed away with the drift wood.
To all who lived and grew up at Caribbean Terrace you are in our thoughts and prayers in your trying times. Continue to keep strong, look after the older folk, take vitamins, people usually get sick after this kind of trauma and watch out for depression among the old folk reprint photos you may have for them so they still feel that they have a little ownership of their past. Allow your folks to lament and talk and weep over their loss. Grieving is natural and healthy, and NEVER say to them that “it is just things!” that hurts even more!
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
Keep strong Caribbean Terrace. Keep the faith!
October 3rd, 2007 at 7:22 am
Thank you Debbie, Triguel, Celia, Susan and Rodney. Perhaps because you were associated with Caribbean Terrace, you understand the situation. Many of the residents are retirees who cannot easily start over – emotionally or financially.
We continue our efforts to get the government to declare the area a non-residential zone and hope that some tangible assistance for relocation will result. The financial institutions are totally unsmpathetic so some of us are still expected to pay mortgage on a house which can no longer be occupied. Insurance – what is that?
Despite what some of our critics think, we are not defending (or tied to) our possessions. If you have a similar experience, you will understand that your home and community are an integral part of your productive life.
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