Twelve persons were yesterday morning rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital after violent winds ripped apart a shed at the Number 66 Fish Port Complex, Corentyne.
Those injured were Pameshwar Jainarine, Dinesh Bob, Ameena Alfred, Farideha Razack, Faimoon (only name given) Fareeze Hussain, Wahim Husman, Dewanram Budhoo, Rajram (only name given) Kemmy (only name given) and Jagdeo Mohan.
While the majority of them sustained minor injuries, it is believed that three of them sustained broken limbs as the debris from the shed battered them during the terrifying storm which hit around 5.45 am
Most of the patients were treated and sent home while two were transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. Stabroek News learnt that one of the more seriously injured persons left the hospital and went to a private Corentyne institution.
When the heavy winds started yesterday morning, Stabroek News understands that the fisheries port was crowded with around 60 persons including vendors and fishermen. When this newspaper visited the scene yesterday workers were checking the rubble to ensure that no one was trapped.
Stabroek News observed that the posts of the shed had been strapped on the ground with iron brackets. However, the ferocious wind uprooted the brackets and the shed collapsed.
According to an eyewitness, Indar Persaud Rampersaud, a committee member of the fisheries complex, it was raining slightly and “all of a sudden” a heavy breeze start to blow. He opined that the breeze was blowing in a spherical motion.
“Everybody was concentrating on the breeze… and like them na concentrate on the shed. So I saw the shed rocking, when I look good at the post I see the post lift up and the shed make a sudden fall… the wind was heavy,” Rampersaud said.
Rampersaud said that he ran for safety but after realising he could not make it to safe ground he jumped between some fish trays “and throw down myself. This thing happen so fast we na realise it.”
Manager of the fisheries, Yuri Motie said he barely managed to run to safety just in time. He told Stabroek News that a heavy shower first came with a “strong breeze.”
He recalled that “the rain was blowing into the shed and in less than 30 seconds the shed started to break and lift up.” It then landed on top of persons who were selling and purchasing fish at the time.
Ameena Alfred recalled that at the time of the incident many persons ran but as they were running, the shed began collapsing on them.
Chairman of Number 66 Fisheries Complex Pravindrachandra Deodat extended sympathy to persons who sustained injuries. Deodat also said that he and a few members from the fisheries visited the patients at the hospital and made sure they were receiving medical treatment. He also said that the fisheries would try to assist persons in any way they can.
Deodat, during the interview, said they would also be looking forward for assistance from the government and Agriculture Ministry to help rebuild the wharf shed. The shed would cost a few million dollars. The chairman further stated that he is asking for assistance, since it is unclear if the insurance policy would cover natural disasters.
