Sandy Bay family loses everything in flood waters

Sandy Bay resident Sharon Woods and her family lost everything after a flood, caused by a trough system destroyed her home last Tuesday. However, she is thankful to be alive.

“That is my first experience with something like that, but thank God I’m alive still,” Woods told SEARCHLIGHT on Saturday when we visited the emergency shelter at the Sandy Bay Government School.{{more}}

She said her house, which was located next to a river, was flooded during the heavy rain and all of its occupants barely escaped.

In her recollection of the events, Woods said she was at a window with her boyfriend when he recognized the severity of the weather. Her boyfriend then began flashing his flashlight to signal his sister, who is also his neighbour, in an attempt to get help.

“They throw a rope, but the rope didn’t come over; at the same time the water go down and when the water go down, we get to come out. They put piece of bamboo, so we hold on to the bamboo and we go over,” said Woods.

She escaped with her two daughters, and up to Saturday, they were housed at the Sandy Bay Government School.

When asked what assistance she would like to receive, a humble Woods said she would accept any help offered to her and her family at this time.

The Woods family is one of 31 families, which include 125 persons who were left homeless after the passage of a trough system that devastated the north-eastern side of mainland St Vincent.

Thankfully, no deaths were reported. (AS)