Bamboo River hit hard by rising water

After being quarantined in September because of worrying COVID numbers, Bamboo River, St Thomas, was hit by natural disaster on Sunday.

The neighbouring river ran through the community, grabbing anything in its paths, sending debris surfing through the lanes and forcing people to run for protection.

A farmer, Romario McPherson, 26, lost thousands of dollars' worth of crops.

"First a the lockdown then all these floods. Every minute we get a next hit. We get lockdown and because a COVID, we nah really a work. And now we a fi go try to get back things do we house," he said. "Okra and corn gone. I just have a few bananas, plantain and cabbage."

He said he was looking to reap the okras in two weeks.

A bare problem

"That would've been a $50,000. It a go hard fi come back from this," he said. "A from three o' clock me a get flood out. We a fi a tear dung some zinc and give the water space fi run out. Same time, the farm a get destroyed. A bare problem."

But Richard Thompson said this is third time the river has overflowed.

"A from September dis a happen. We always a feel it! Every time we get flood out, we a fi a fix back fence and a wash out house," he told THE STAR. Thompson's house was flooded, and fences were ripped from the ground, sending more water in.

"A after 12 last night me done wash out my house and a four a we did a work, so yuh know how that go. It rough! We a fi all a push out car weh get wash weh. Me chair soaked! Water go ina me fridge and dem thing deh because a nuh everything yuh can lift up and put pon bed. All electrical appliance weh me have now damaged," he said.

Alicia Stewart had to use tyres and rocks to walk through her yard as the water level climbed.

"Me go through storm and hurricane and me never see so much water yet. It wicked!" she told THE STAR. "Me did a plan fi come out an go shelter, but me did a gwane watch the water. And we pull some of the fences so the water coulda run out. I don't know what to say."