Waramadong and Kamarang have become the most recent communities in Region Seven to be pummelled by strong winds and heavy rainfall, resulting in damage to several buildings in both villages.
According to reports reaching this newspaper, the rain in Waramadong began just after 1:00 pm yesterday, and lasted for at least 45 minutes.
Chris Elliman, a volunteer at the Desrey Fox Secondary School in Waramadong told Stabroek News that the rain came down so hard that students and teachers were confined to their classrooms until it was over, by which time, the mattresses and other items in their chalets were soaked by the water which had seeped through the windows during the downpour.
The heavy rainfall reportedly affected more than 70 percent of the students housed at the dormitory, most of whom had to share beds last night.
Another storeroom containing uniforms and other items, as well as, the school’s computer lab were also soaked by the rains. Sections of the roof of the school’s kitchen and several outhouses were also damaged by the heavy rain.
It was also reported that the entire roof of a dwelling, owned by Devonish Joseph was torn off by high winds, resulting in all the household articles being soaked by the downpour.
Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford who spoke to Stabroek News last evening said that emergency efforts are being made by the Regional Education Department and the Regional Administration to source mattresses, bedding and clothing to help ease the discomfort of those affected.
He further noted that the Civil Defence Commission, Ministry of Communities, Minister of Public Affairs and the Ministry of the Presidency have been notified and are responding.
In the case of Kamarang, Stabroek News understands that similar conditions were experienced there between 1:45 pm and 2:15 pm yesterday, resulting in the solar panel attached to the Gecom office being “ripped off” the roof.
Just last Friday this newspaper had reported on a storm that had ripped through the Region Seven community of Kako, completely destroying six homes and leaving residents in great fear of a recurrence.
As a result of the storm, the Kako Primary School will not be opened for the new school term since the building was damaged.
In addition to the school, sixteen houses were affected by the storm. In addition to the six that were destroyed, four had their roofs torn off, and the other six suffered various levels of damage from the heavy winds and rain.
On 18th August, a pregnant mother of two was killed in Jawalla, also in Region Seven, after the house she and her two daughters had sought shelter under during a freak storm, collapsed on her.
In addition to claiming the woman’s life, the storm also ripped through some 33 houses and left several residents traumatized.
