A number of residents in the Onderneeming, Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara area are left counting their losses after a strong wind on Tuesday morning blew the roofs off of several homes, and caused one to collapse.
According to villagers, the incident occurred at about 10:30h today (Tuesday), while the rain was pouring significantly.
“It was a swirl…it move from the back [street] and go round through this man house. This was a high house here, and it drop to the ground and this man roof raise off and it [swirl] go right away round the Scheme,” one resident who identified herself as Ursela Evans said.
When INews visited the location, a number of persons were seen assisting the affected home owners in repairing their roofs, while others were observed gathering the zinc materials which had been dispersed along the streets by the strong wind.
“All I see is the heavy breeze coming and from the breeze, I look over and see my neighbour house top just cave in and the zinc start to fly all over the place,” a woman who identified herself only as “Coja” told this online publication.
She also asserted that this is the first time, since she’s been residing in the area for the past ten years, that something of this nature has ever occurred.
A home owner who lost almost her entire roof by the disastrous storm which also uprooted electric wires, explained that she is now pondering her next move since she is not financially fit at the moment to have the damages to her home repaired.
She recounted that she observed the “tornado like swirl” approaching her home and quickly called her young grandchildren into the home before proceeding to lock the doors and windows.
“I said this is more than just a normal breeze and …I start hollering for ‘the blood of Jesus’ …Then I heard [a noise] and the whole zinc start to rip off from the top…Everything just went bizzare. The blinds, if you come in, you’ll see everything tear down, the electricity, everything is in a disaster…This is going to affect me terribly because we don’t have money right now…” she explained.
No one was reported injured as a result of the heavy winds. (Ramona Luthi)
