Tropical Storm Erika - Nature Turned Against the Nature Isle

I am from the island of Dominica, the Nature Island of the Caribbean. One of the first things that every Dominican child learns is that we have 365 rivers; one for every day of the year. This has always been one of our richest blessings. We speak proudly of our rivers in poems, songs and travel magazines and to every stranger that we meet for we know that God has blessed our country like no other with these glorious bodies of abundant, fresh, clean water originating from the pristine, green mountains. So what happened then to cause our blessings to turn against us; to wage war against us like the demon possessed?

Yes, in the late hours of Wednesday 26th August to Thursday 27th August 2015, Tropical Storm Erika struck the island of Dominica wreaking havoc and destruction. The tall mountains became expressways for angry, roaring rivers. We know about flooding in other parts of the world, but we have, for the most part, been comfortable in the false security that our mountainous terrain was adequate safeguard against serious flooding. The terrain proved us very wrong for it was to the heavy rainfall, like fuel is to fire.

As the rainfall intensified, every little waterfall, every little stream, every little gully, every little spring became an angry foe. The raging waters swept into buildings bursting through burglar bars, doors and windows carrying away everything in their path. They seemed to have grown tentacles spreading through entire communities. People were awakened from their sleep, some just in time to evacuate their flooded homes before it was too late; some watching in horror as their homes with all their possessions were destroyed and their vehicles were carried down to the sea.

Families became separated in the scramble for life. One man recounts the story of watching helplessly as his elderly father was swept into the rapid currents of the river as he was rescuing his mother. A young woman relives the trauma of seeing her father and young son swallowed up by the voracious waters and an elderly couple recount how their lives were saved by their teenage granddaughter who urged them to flee moments before their home was engulfed by the monster river.

The torrential rains also caused heavy landslides bringing down tons of mud, heavy boulders and debris blocking roadways and covering buildings; burying people alive. Two brothers were flung into the deadly river when the piece of land on which they were standing at the back of their house collapsed and fell into the rapid waters below. Massive forest trees were uprooted and carried down the raging waters.

There was massive damage to infrastructure and communication systems causing communities to be cut off from the rest of the island and indeed, almost cutting off the country from the rest of the world. Many roads became impassable either because of blockages caused by the landslides, undermining or actual collapse of large sections caused by the violent waters. Several bridges, some serving as the sole access to certain communities were destroyed.The main airport became a river bed as rushing waters from both sides converged unto the airport causing total disaster. With both airports damaged the only access to Dominica for some weeks was via the seaports.

Today, more than a month later, the villages of Boetica and Delices in the eastern part of the island remain practically cut off from the rest of the country as a huge section of the road access caved in creating a huge gorge and making vehicular access impossible. The only means of getting supplies in and out of the villages is by means of a temporary cable system.

The brunt of the storm’s rage was felt most heavily in the villages of Petite Savanne in the south east, Colihaut and Coulibistrie in the west. Petite Savanne was practically wiped out. Many residents perished, several were injured and some remain missing. A mass evacuation had to be done to rescue the traumatized survivors who were later placed in shelters in the city. Residents of Coulibistrie and Colihaut on the West Coast face the daunting task of restoring what used to be their homes, now filled to the ceiling with mud and debris. People seem to be turning around in circles unable to comprehend that one night they had gone to bed as usual and the next day they were reduced to indigence, with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Ironically, the waters, having subsided, have left many communities without potable water as many of the water systems were destroyed. Hurt and disappointed, victims still have to return to the enemy rivers and streams to collect water for home use.

It has been a sad time for Dominica in the aftermath of the storm. The physical landscape has been transformed irreversibly and the effects on the social fabric of the country likewise, might be lasting if not permanent. However, a lesson has been learnt. The highlands far from shielding us aided and abetted the rivers in their war against Dominica. It was nature at its worst and what’s more, it was something for which we were grossly unprepared. In the hurricane season we have been used to prepare mainly against wind damage so we batten down doors and windows and secure our roofs. We construct hurricane strong buildings and we get conce
ed when the Met Office issues a hurricane warning; there has never been flood warnings. Now it seems that the Met Office must issue timely flood warnings as well.

It is never too late to learn.