NEMO In Griga Was In Front Of the Flood

A major part of the Stann Creek District's excellent response was that the NEMO Hub in Dangriga was very active and vigilant, watching every move of Tropical Depression 2.

Today, we spoke to the Mayor of Dangriga Town, who is also the chairman of the Stann Creek Emergency Committee, and he gave us a full report on their activities since yesterday.

Here's what he told us:

Mayor Gilbert Swazo - Chairman, Stann Creek Emergency Committee
"Earlier this morning about 3:00 we recieved word that there were people on the Mullins river who needed to be evacuated. Again we immediately coordinated through NEMO, through Coast Guard who then subsequently deployed a vessel and we also placed an alert - one shelter, Parish Hall within Dangriga with the view to house and shelter those evacuees from Mullins River. There were 49, however, I must report that right now while the coast guard has arrived at the destination at Mullins River, we have no confirmation that the people have now been extracted but the shelter remains open and the shelter management team prepared to support those evacuees from Mullins River. Amongst the other reports that we received is that the Mullins river bridge is compromised and the coastal road is under water as a result of the bridge being compromised and the fact that the road is severely under water. That road has now been declared again in concurrence with NEMO - it is now closed for vehicular traffic. There is also a culvert on the Southern Highway which is compromised and again the Ministry of Works are on scene doing rehabilitation works with a view then that we could open the road for continuous traffic. Those areas are critical arteries to provide supplies to our people, to the villagers in those communities that are not impacted.

Hope Creek, Sarawee has been impacted so it's obvious that Dangriga is next. As early as this morning about 1:00 there were teams that were sent out with a view to ascertain what level of impact has affected Dangriga. It is note then that we are in the New Site 1 area so this area and New Site 2 are the areas that are severely affected in Dangriga. Also Lakeland and the Rivas estate is impacted and Benguche is also impacted."

The Stann Creek Emergency Committee remains active at this hour until NEMO declares that the flood threat is a non factor. After that happens, they committee will be surveying the communities to see what sort of relief it can provide.


Fun In A Time Of Flooding

We've shown you the residents of the Stann Creek Valley who were affected, and who had the scare of the floods from Tropical Depression 2.

Well, there were some young men from Sarawee Village who weren't too worried about the storm. As a matter of fact, they had a good time in the floods waters of their yard.

We asked them why they were taking light of a situation which the adults thought was no joke.

Here's what they told us:

Rudolph Emmanuel - Resident, Sarawee Village
"We're just playing football. In the water you can jump and not get hurt, just playing rough in the water."

Daniel Ortiz
"You usually play like this when you have flooding in this area?"

Rudolph Emmanuel -
"Yes we go around in canoe."

Daniel Ortiz
"Tell us about when you guys decide that instead of waiting until the rain passes, we will be out there playing in the water."

Rudolph Emmanuel -
"From last night we've been playing in water. This is fun."

Daniel Ortiz
"This is like a swimming pool for you right now."

Ricky Emmanuel - Resident, Sarawee Village
"Yes, just jump up and so on because we won't get hurt."

Daniel Ortiz
"What all kind of games do you guys engage in whenever there's flooding in this area."

Ricky Emmanuel
"Like swimming, football, stamp down, karate and American football."

And while those boys were playing their football-water polo hybrid, we found another young man in Sittee River Village, who teamed up with his fellow villagers to provide ferry services to residents over the flooded section of the road.

He told us that he's proud to provide assistance:

Daniel Ortiz
"Kids and the other children that are visiting are enjoying themselves. Are you amongst those who just love the water and sees it as another rainy day?"

Shammar Lamb - Resident, Sittee River Village
"Well I'm just here watching and thing because water snakes and other things in here and you don't know when you can get into the river - like you see that Coconut Tree from that go down is the river. If you get into the river it could wash you away. So I don't think I'm like those other kids."

Daniel Ortiz
"So you're not like those other kids that are enjoying the flood."




Shammar Lamb
"As you can see we have our canoes that we patrol in but right now we're taking a rest."

Daniel Ortiz
"You're working with the adults with ferrying people across?"

Shammar Lamb
"yes"

Daniel Ortiz
"What is it like being a part of the organization with trying to help people. You're such a young gentleman."

Shammar Lamb
"I'm feeling like a coastguard right now."

Channel 7