Stripped-up rooftops, huge broken trees and felled power lines saluted Barbadians yesterday, Tropical Storm Tomas leaving a path of destruction across the island.
From as early as 11 p.m. Friday night the rains pounded the island, forcing the director of Emergency Management, Judy Thomas, to issue a national shutdown order for all Barbadians to be indoors by 12:30 a.m.
But it was not until around 2 a.m. that the fury of the winds were felt as the eye of the storm passed over the island.
From Pie Corner to Josey Hill, Connell Town, Boscobell, Moontown, Sherman’s, Holetown and Sunset Crest, the view was almost the same – destruction.
Over in Pie Corner Sylvan Sobers, his wife and kids were left to face the elements after wind ripped off their roof and soaked the children’s beds.
It was between the hours of 4 a.m. when Sobers had to hustle his children next door at a family home to get them out of the rain.
“This is the first time we have had anything of this magnitude. The last time we had anything like this was with Ivan,” Sobers explained.
Further along in Josey Hill Pearline Agard and her family watched helplessly at their family home for over 35 years.
It was in the wee hours of the morning, that the majority of her roof was torn off.
“No matter what storms or high winds we have passed through, we have never experienced anything like this,” she said from her family home next door.
Harold Austin at Mount Johnson, St Lucy, said he was sleeping when he heard “wuff wuuf wuff” and the next thing he knew the roof top was off.
Austin who lives with his 96 year-old mother, said he hustled her next door by his brother, since the rains were coming in through the roof and filling his home.
Noel Cumberbatch from Pie Corner, St Lucy, had his one bedroom wooden home and outside toilet flattened by the wind.
“This morning bout 3 o’clock I felt the house shaking shaking and I ran out the house and ran into the toilet, but then that started shaking too,” he said as he recalled the horrid incident to the SUNDAY SUN.
“I had to run out cause I didn’t want that house to come down on me,” he said.
At Boscobelle, the Clarke’s family home, lay exposed to the wind and rain.
Certified electrician and telephone technician Shurland Jackman said he isolated the power feeds in the area, and tried to safeguard several items in the home after the house became roofless.
The house suffered lots of water damage and they too sought comfort next door at family.
Sonash Enterprises brought out the true community spirit as they visited several homes in the Boscobel area.
When the SUNDAY SUN caught up with them at Glenroy Standford’s home they were helping to replace a roof.
Standford’s brother Wilmont who was standing in the house under an umbrella, said the roof had blown off around 3 a.m.
“We’ve never had anything like this before. The rain was pounding horribly and all we’ve been doing is sweeping water all day,” he stated as he fixed buckets on the beds to catch the rain.
Over in Checker Hall, a tree partially covered the car of Toni Hinds.
“All I heard was crack, crack, crack, and then a loud bang,” noted her husband Ryan who said it occurred around 3 a.m.
Moontown was a hive of activity with dozens of people rushing to purchase goods from St Elmo’s and others drinking and watching the rough waters beating against the rocks.
Further along the road at Sherman’s, a huge machineel tree blocked more than three quarters of the road, making it almost impassable.
In Road View, St Peter, Little Battaleys church had been completely demolished. The tent-like structure which has been there for more than seven years, was nothing more than a mass of rubble.
Another fallen tree across the road at Mullins, forced many motorists to turn around and seek alternatives to their destination.
At Douglin Road Weston, St James, another large tree blocked the road, while farther along the road at Glitter Bay, both sides of the road were badly damaged.
