Landslide kills man in Manning Village

The family members of the late Raymond Gonsalves of Byera who died when a landslide made impact with his home during the trough system which affected the island on Tuesday, are still trying to deal with the circumstances under which the man died.{{more}}

Calique Gonsalves, the son of the 62-year-old Manning Village resident said when contacted yesterday, that it was still difficult to discuss his father’s tragic and unfortunate demise.

“Thinking about it is still difficult,” he told SEARCHLIGHT.

The young Gonsalves described his father’s death as unfortunate.

He explained that there were four occupants in the house at the time, however Raymond was in his bedroom, which was directly in the path of the landslide which destroyed two parked vehicles and a section of the Gonsalves’ abode.

The incident occurred sometime around 11 p.m. Calique said, but gave no further details of what transpired that night.

“He has been greatly missed by his family and friends,” Calique said.

“We are trying our best to keep things together,” he continued.

Calique described his deceased father as a “great example to the society that he was living.”

“We wouldn’t have ever imagined something in that manner to happen,” the young man said.

“It could have been worse, and we just have to appreciate the things that he did in the past,” he continued.

Calique said that he knew that his father will continue to do great things and he hoped and prayed that he (Raymond) had gone to a better place.

Raymond Gonsalves was among the eight confirmed dead in the aftermath of a system which affected the country on Tuesday night.

The seven others include five persons who perished in a house at Rose Bank after their home collapsed as a result of the slope failure; the bodies of an 18-year-old female of Pembroke and 34-year-old male of Vermont were recovered after they were swept away by the Vermont river. (DD)