Utility poles fell causing damage to power lines and in at least one case a vehicle, and branches snapped off trees across several areas in Guyana on Sunday evening during an intense rainstorm.
There were reports of residents along the East Bank and East Coast Demerara and in Georgetown, losing zinc sheets off their rooftops and suffering damage to their furniture and appliances. Residents also told this newspaper that the sudden rain, driving wind, white flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder made them skittish. However, there were no reports of any injuries.
No information on the magnitude of the storm could be gleaned from a call to the Meteorological office as an official there said they were still awaiting reports.
Along Mandela Avenue, a lamppost fell in front of the Chinese Embassy, pulling the power lines down with it. A little way north of the embassy, another post was observed leaning out over the road.
At Eping and Ixora avenues, Bel Air Park a third post fell into a yard onto the guard hut, again pulling down wires with it.
At Princes Street, the top of a post had splintered scattering pieces yards away. Tammy Thompson, who lives a stone’s throw away, said she heard a loud explosion and ran to her window and saw that the top of the post had already fallen away. It fell onto a car parked near the post, shattering a window and denting it, Thompson related.
A man who was travelling in his car along Mandela Avenue at the time the post fell in front of the Chinese Embassy recounted that it was a frightening experience. “The rain was pouring. The place was white, white and then suddenly you hear this loud explosion, followed by a sizzling sound and then the post came crashing down all within a few seconds,” he said.
In East La Penitence, homes were flooded. Keith Spellen of 49 Freeman Street told Stabroek News that his house was under water within minutes of the rain starting to fall.
At Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara and along the upper East Coast residents said they also experienced winds and rain of a maximum force. One resident said the minimal damage was probably because the storm did not last for a very long time. He speculated that if it had then yesterday would have seen a very messy Georgetown.
Meanwhile, a press release from Guyana Power and Light Inc yesterday the storm caused damage to several parts of its network. Several areas were left without power and crews were dispatched to do emergency repairs.
The release said that around 20:48 hours there was a burst yellow phase primary main at Middle and Main streets, which resulted in a trip at the Kelly Dam Feeder. This was later repaired.
Early yesterday morning, the release added, a burst primary main at the corner of Hadfield and Camp streets caused parts of Werk-en-Rust to be left without power.
