La Democracia without water and electricity

On the Western Highway, communities are showing signs of desperation in the aftermath of Hurricane Richard. Most residents of La Democracia were ill prepared for the ravages of the hurricane and today as they attempt to recover, they remain without electricity and water is hard to come by. News Five’s Jose Sanchez reports.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

La Democracia is well known as the village that sits at the junction of the Western Highway and the Coastal Road. Since the hurricane eye passed the village, the residents have been without running water and electricity.  Scenes of children walking with bottled water are common on the highway. The Village Chairman says they need more help.

Aretha, Chairlady, Democracia Village

“Our main concern is water, we are out of water, we are out of electricity, and I would say about eighty-five to ninety percent of our homes got affected by water. Our people, I know was not prepared for this hurricane, so everything got wet in almost everybody’s homes. So what is the most important thing we need right now is water and food.”

Jose Sanchez

“You said everything is wet. What about them many kids in this area that are expected to go to school tomorrow?”

Aretha

“Well that will be a big problem—no water for shower, no books, nothing. So that will be one of the biggest issue and I don’t think it is possible for kids to go to school tomorrow.”

Their stories of roofs ripped open are heard throughout the village. The Clarke family’s kitchen is now in the middle of the yard after Richard’s eye passed by.   As she ran over to her mother’s house, a huge tree fell on Tanisha Clarke’s home.

Tanisha Clarke, Hurricane Victim

tanisha clarke

“As you can see, mi whole house gone, but that dah noh the bad part. The rough part is that when I mi deh di spend the hurricane over dah mi ma, the roof gone and then the leaking start and I have wah six month old baby. And we had to find different spots in the house weh noh di rain fi mek we pass the night. It mi rough.”

Jose Sanchez

“So you ran from one crumbling house to one that don’t have a roof now?”

Tanisha Clarke

“Yeah, but that one still better than this one.”

Jose Sanchez

“Have you been getting any assistance?”

Tanisha Clarke

“Honestly, last night we got water. And today we get water. And they promise to bring us ration this evening.”

Myrtle Clarke, Hurricane Victim

myrtle clarke

“Bout nearly seventeen-eighteen ah wi deh in the house. Well I neva experience a hurricane before. So I went out and I stand up by the step and I only hear the zinc seh [whoo] and the whole top of the zinc gone.  Well ih start rain from deh and the rain gone through the flooring and down in the bottom, mi deh almost to my ankle ina the water.  We sit down in that water til dah morning. At that time, me, my kids, my grandkids, my husband, everybody. All ah wi shelter ina di one house.”

joyce macfadzean

Joyce McFadzen, Hurricane Victim

“The whole ah dis area broke down and I start pray and seh why we stay in and my daughter call and ih seh ma you alright. And I seh no. I no alright and I start cry. My husband seh just stay calm. And I seh ih finish deh. I said thank you Jesus and ih start again and I di peep through the hole and everything rock apart and I seh now its all over. This noh wah last. Everything.”

Jorden Williams, Hurricane Victim

“The hurricane has affected our house. Our roof has gone and inside completely soaked with water so we woulda really want some help. The roof completely gone, destroyed completely.”

Jose Sanchez

“Did it rain last night?”

Jorden Williams

jorden williams

“Yes it did.”

Jose Sanchez

“So how did you manage with the rain?”

Jorden Williams

“We patched one zinc on top of half of the roof and dah so we deal with it last night. We get piece fo the tarp from Human Development to help us cover up the roof.”

The villagers have been gaining assistance from Human Development; however, Richard’s impact will be felt for a long time. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.