Residents of Pasture call for relocation

Some residents who have been adversely affected by the recent rains and resulting floods in the area known as “Pasture” in the community of South Rivers, say they would like to be relocated.{{more}}

One such resident is Steve Glasgow.

The home that Glasgow, his girlfriend, Urica Williams and their children have shared for the past three years was flooded on Tuesday night.

Williams said that she was not at home at the time, however Glasgow said that he was, and he saw the water entering the small house which is located on the river bank.

“When me look, me done see water start fo come inside me house,” he explained.

“Me lose everything me had, de only piece ah clothes me have, ah wha me have on now,” Glasgow continued.

Williams said that she saw the devastation for the first time on Christmas morning.

She too told SEARCHLIGHT that amongst the items lost, were some personal ones including her passport and her children’s school items which included their uniforms.

The couple, along with their two younger children, was busy cleaning and assessing the damage on Wednesday.

But with the recent flooding, Glasgow said that he is looking to relocate.

Glasgow and Williams say that they currently have no place to stay, except at relatives, or if it comes to that, they may have to take up shelter at the community centre.

Conroy Arrington, another Pasture resident, said that he too would rather move to a different spot.

The man said that he was home alone on Tuesday night when he decided to go outside.

Armed with a pair of water boots and a flashlight, Arrington said that he met the force of the water and that he immediately began alerting other nearby residents.

He spoke of the damage sustained which included the flooding of his one bedroom house.

Arrington said that his house had been shifted by the rising water level, when the river flooded its banks.

He said that the foundation was destroyed, and he lost five spraying cans. He said up to lunch time Wednesday, he was unable to go to the mountains to check on his animals because it was difficult to access the area.

According to Arrington, he had moved temporarily to the shelter, and although he has called the area home, he wants to move.

“Me go glad if I could get ah different spot, because me done overs how de river ah move,” he explained.

And Ervel Dublin, another resident of Pasture said that he was not at home at the time, but was told that the two females who were had to be rescued by villagers using ropes after the raging waters flooded the banks of the river.

Dublin showed where the rising water had broken a window, and the damage inside from the flood water.

And although he was not as unfortunate as his neighbour, Lolita Hackshaw, whose house was swept away by the water, Dublin said that he was calling on the relevant authorities to help them to relocate.

Dublin showed SEARCHLIGHT where the river had now cut a new path, taking back portions of what used to be his backyard.

He said that he had never experienced anything like this before in the three years he had been living in the area.

But he said that he wants out.

“Next time it could be worse – all I want for now is to be relocated to some place safe,” he said. (DD)