Flooding in Barbados

(Barbados Nation) Some areas across Barbados are seriously affected by the heavy rains being experienced today.

With Barbados under a flood warning until 6 this evening, residents in flood prone areas are asked to take the necessary precautions.

Many residents are reporting to Starcom Network that their homes are flooded out and they are in need of assistance.

According to Simon Alleyne of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) several areas in Christ Church are affected including Wotton Terrace, Kingsland, Rendezvous, Silver Hill, Oxnards and Rockley.

Other areas threatened by the heavy showers include Brittons Hill, Long Gap, South Wildey and Bush Hall in St Michael.

Flood waters rose to over five feet at Wotton, Christ Church today, trapping several distressed residents in their homes.

Flooding in Barbados (Barbados Nation photo)
Flooding in Barbados (Barbados Nation photo)

Officials at the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) deemed the area one of the worst affected when persistent showers drenched the island for several hours starting from around 3a.m.

Residents in the close knit community, who are no strangers to flooding in the area, lamented that it was the first time since 1983 that the water had risen to such a high level.

Several young men from the district went from house to house in a small plastic toy boat and a small fiber glass boat, using pieces of wood, shovels and rakes as oars helping distressed residents secure household items and their vehicles and even ferrying some to and from their homes.

They also dived into the murky water removing grills from the drains and attempting to clear them – but this did not help.

Residents said it appeared that all of the drains were blocked and the water invaded several of the houses.

Roy Ward of the DEM hurriedly called for rescuers and reinforcements when he arrived on the scene around 9 a.m and saw the high water level.