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BY KARYL WALKER Observer staff reporter walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Two days after powerful Hurricane Dean sent 20-foot waves crashing onto the south-east coast of the island, residents of the fishing village at Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine are yet to come to grips with the devastation that has befallen their community.
Ten year-old Nicholas Nembhard pushes a trolley loaded with zinc he salvaged yesterday after the passage on Sunday night of Hurricane Dean in Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine. (Photo: Karl McLarty)
What was once a lively fishing beach at Market Street has been completely levelled by the hurricane's force. At least 40 houses were blown apart, others severely damaged, shops and stalls were blown away and an arcade lost its roof.
In addition, some boats were swept over 100 yards inland when the storm surges hit.
Jennifer Manley, a mother of three and grandmother of four, lost all her possessions in the hurricane. Manley was depressed when the reality that she and her younger relatives no longer had a place to rest their heads, hit her.
"I don't think I am going to live here anymore," she said. "This is too much. I lost everything and I am asking anyone for some assistance now."
A neighbour, who gave her name only as Marsha, was also confused.
"Right now me don't even know where and when me a go start over. Everything mash up," she said.
Hurricane Dean was at Category 4 strength with maximum sustained winds near 240 kmh (150 mph) when it brushed Jamaica's southern coast Sunday night. Before its arrival, forecasters had predicted that it would strike Jamaica directly and pass over the entire island.
But Dean took an almost similar path to Hurricane Ivan in 2004, a category 3 storm, which also battered Old Harbour Bay. However, like their counterparts in Rocky Point and Portland Cottage in the neighbouring parish of Clarendon, the residents of Old Harbour Bay conceded that Hurricane Dean was the most powerful hurricane they had ever experienced.
"This is the wickedest hurricane ever come a Jamaica," one man said. "Ivan never bad so, the breeze give the sea a power no one never see yet. Dean a bad man."
Robert Brown, a fisherman, recalled the first signs that Hurricane Dean was on the prowl while repairing his fishing boat and nets.
"A the first me see the sea get vex so," said Brown. "Everybody haffi run out yah. The sea cover the arcade and wash way everything. Is a lucky ting nobody never dead."
But 60 year-old Hazel Baker did not evacuate and is now praising her lucky stars. She, too, lost her house.
"Me decide say me a watch the ting and all of a sudden the water come powerful. When the breeze take me, me hold on pan piece a iron and a di iron save me," Baker said, pointing to metal bars some 50 feet away from the spot where her house once stood.
The Old Harbour Bay Police Station did not escape Dean's wrath. Wisely, the 14 cops stationed there evacuated to the Old Harbour Police Station before the building lost its roof.
Damage was also evident in the Dagga Bay, Station Lane and Cross Roads sections of the community. Houses were also blown away, roofs were gone or storm surges completely soaked residents' furniture, appliances and other belongings.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Two days after powerful Hurricane Dean sent 20-foot waves crashing onto the south-east coast of the island, residents of the fishing village at Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine are yet to come to grips with the devastation that has befallen their community.
Ten year-old Nicholas Nembhard pushes a trolley loaded with zinc he salvaged yesterday after the passage on Sunday night of Hurricane Dean in Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine. (Photo: Karl McLarty) What was once a lively fishing beach at Market Street has been completely levelled by the hurricane's force. At least 40 houses were blown apart, others severely damaged, shops and stalls were blown away and an arcade lost its roof.
In addition, some boats were swept over 100 yards inland when the storm surges hit.
Jennifer Manley, a mother of three and grandmother of four, lost all her possessions in the hurricane. Manley was depressed when the reality that she and her younger relatives no longer had a place to rest their heads, hit her.
"I don't think I am going to live here anymore," she said. "This is too much. I lost everything and I am asking anyone for some assistance now."
A neighbour, who gave her name only as Marsha, was also confused.
"Right now me don't even know where and when me a go start over. Everything mash up," she said.
Hurricane Dean was at Category 4 strength with maximum sustained winds near 240 kmh (150 mph) when it brushed Jamaica's southern coast Sunday night. Before its arrival, forecasters had predicted that it would strike Jamaica directly and pass over the entire island.
But Dean took an almost similar path to Hurricane Ivan in 2004, a category 3 storm, which also battered Old Harbour Bay. However, like their counterparts in Rocky Point and Portland Cottage in the neighbouring parish of Clarendon, the residents of Old Harbour Bay conceded that Hurricane Dean was the most powerful hurricane they had ever experienced.
"This is the wickedest hurricane ever come a Jamaica," one man said. "Ivan never bad so, the breeze give the sea a power no one never see yet. Dean a bad man."
Robert Brown, a fisherman, recalled the first signs that Hurricane Dean was on the prowl while repairing his fishing boat and nets.
"A the first me see the sea get vex so," said Brown. "Everybody haffi run out yah. The sea cover the arcade and wash way everything. Is a lucky ting nobody never dead."
But 60 year-old Hazel Baker did not evacuate and is now praising her lucky stars. She, too, lost her house.
"Me decide say me a watch the ting and all of a sudden the water come powerful. When the breeze take me, me hold on pan piece a iron and a di iron save me," Baker said, pointing to metal bars some 50 feet away from the spot where her house once stood.
The Old Harbour Bay Police Station did not escape Dean's wrath. Wisely, the 14 cops stationed there evacuated to the Old Harbour Police Station before the building lost its roof.
Damage was also evident in the Dagga Bay, Station Lane and Cross Roads sections of the community. Houses were also blown away, roofs were gone or storm surges completely soaked residents' furniture, appliances and other belongings.
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