Flagaman resident loses roof but vows to ‘rise again’ after Beryl

As the news team travelled through Flagaman in St Elizabeth, the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Beryl on July 3 was laid bare.

Roofing materials were scattered across open spaces, while some pieces were wrapped around utility poles. Acres of spoiled melons, cantaloupes, plantains, bananas and other provisions were seen laying in farms. Mother Nature has not been good to the parish, as the residents said they have received heavy rain since the hurricane's passing.

Barbara Myrie is counting her losses, but also her blessings. Currently, her three-bedroom dwelling is without a roof and a section of the wall was ripped away by Hurricane Beryl. But Myrie, who greeted the team from THE WEEKEND STAR with a big smile, shared that she "is grateful for life".

Despite her own losses, she is still providing acts of goodwill to persons in her district. Electricity is yet to be restored to the area, but Myrie, who has a generator, charges cell phones and other small gadgets free of cost.

"I have to help because everyone is going through hard times right now. Some people will volunteer and leave a small donation while some don't, but that is okay. God is going to bless us and we will rise again. Life is more important, and after a storm there must be a calm. God is still in the vessel and we are going to pull through. We are displaced now, but we will be fine," Myrie assured.

In addition to the lack of electricity, there is no potable water in Flagaman. Mosquitoes are in abundance, which raises health concerns for Myrie and other residents. She described the hurricane as being extremely frightening.

"It whistle and it came with tornadoes and earthquake, as the entire house was shaking. One of my doors was facing to the breeze and I battened up and put my dresser behind it, and the breeze open the door and lock it back. I said to my children that it was a sign, so we should go. So we went into the bathroom and it felt like someone was just forcing into the house," she said.

As they huddled inside the small bathroom, Myrie said all she could do was ask the Almighty to spare their lives.

"My brother was inside and saying he was tying down the house top, but I told him to just move from where he was because the roof was going to lift. I just hear a noise and I just see the entire roof just move off the house. I watch the back porch just disappear. I prayed and asked God that even if the roof gone, him should please save our lives, and he did. All five of us were in the bathroom; but we got trapped in there because a wall fell and block us in, and we couldn't move it," she said.

Realising that they may be in danger, Myrie said one of her neighbours rushed to their assistance.

"We were in there for a while until a gentleman who saw that our roof was gone, came in the storm to check on us. Him alone couldn't move the wall, so we had to help him, and move and move until we could get out," she said.

"Right now we are all over the place. This hurricane make Gilbert look like a blessing, because I didn't lose so much. All now mi can't stop burn clothes, because they are wet and mildew[ed]," Myrie added.