A family in the community of Dauphine has been forced to vacate their home, after signs of earth movement, sinking and wide cracks have left them fearing for their lives.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT last Saturday from their family home in an area called Dalaway, Davney Cordice said she started noticing the cracks and earth movement early one morning last week.{{more}}

Cordice explained that the house, which serves a family home for her brother, sister, nieces and cousins, could potentially break away and fall to the gutter below.

“We were scared; we called NEMO… from since like a day ago and they didn’t come; we still waiting to find out like what happening,” she said.

Cordice explained that a major part of what is causing the earth movement is poor drainage and the continuous rains which affected the island last week.

She said the water began flowing into the house after the recent construction of a public road and back wall and since then, she has had to build something in front her door to prevent the water from entering.

“Sometimes you wake…and the whole house flood with water to your ankle and sometimes to your knees…

“Sometimes we home and people washing machine water is coming in the house; it’s all with the water coming down from off the hill, coming straight in the house,” she further explained.

Cordice stated that they have been visited by the Physical Planning Division, who corroborated their initial belief that poor drainage was the cause of the earth movement.

Shelford Stowe of the Physical Planning Unit told SEARCHLIGHT on Monday that the area where the house is located is prone to drainage issues and if the water is not properly channelled, it would lead to more damage to the house.

He added that the area had been under a lot of stress from the rains which have been affecting the island, and with the soil being laden from both rain and poor drainage, there was “a bit of soil creeping”.

Stowe also noted that if there are areas in the house that are not structurally sound, it could lead to more problems.

And, as such, they have advised the family to move to the part of the house which has the most structural stability, or relocate to an emergency shelter.

Stowe, however, noted that drainage is the key component and if it is not properly addressed, it could potentially lead to more problems. (CM)