The reason I came to St. Lucia this year was to help repair dam
ages at Ladera Resort caused by hurricane Tomas which ripped through the island Halloween weekend. While Ladera had their troubles the area just above Soufriere known as Fond St. Jacques was decimated. The government has still not restored water to this area and the road remains closed higher up.
ages at Ladera Resort caused by hurricane Tomas which ripped through the island Halloween weekend. While Ladera had their troubles the area just above Soufriere known as Fond St. Jacques was decimated. The government has still not restored water to this area and the road remains closed higher up.
Around 1000 people live in this area and the surrounding hillsides. Several houses were completely washed away and many remain filled with mud. One of the bridges over the river was picked up and sent hurling downstream while a second bridge is still covered with water. Last week the government did manage to install a temporary bridge.
The amount of mud, debris, huge boulders and devastation is hard to imagine until you see it first hand. I have heard many of the stories of that feted night and my heart goes out to all who lived through it and those who perished. Currently there are about a dozen people living in tents while many have moved in with relatives and there are several families that are now homeless.
Governments of many nations come together to offer assistance for other disaster areas. Where is the help for St. Lucia?
2 comments:
That last question is a good one. I have noticed this in my own travels. Some countries are overlooked and yet if you have a celebrity say, "Oh no, Haiti!" News reporters and everyone flies to the place and it becomes fashionable to help and volunteer. I've never understood that type of group mentality. Haiti did/does need help but so do many other places. I've left frustration behind these days and just deal with the issue as it presents itself. You are making a difference....enjoy the experiences that are presented:) I've absolutely loved my days in Cape Verde and helping make the islands there a better place....you are as well:)
We living here are wondering when the real reconstruction will happen - Bexon, Marc, Fond St. Jacques the worst hit, but many more in similar situations of now water (Micoud) ... we see just temporary wooden barriers where roads have fallen away - many roads instantly become impassible with any amount of rain and we still have many potentially rainy months to go.
Have you driven the Barre de l'Isle? there are over a dozen places where the road is undercut and fallen away and it gets worse each rain.
Many people In Marc and Bexon are also unable to return to homes and cut off as far as motorable bridges go...
In the scale of world disasters, ours is tiny - when put in relative scale to the size of our island, it becomes huge.
We've had many stellar efforts by individuals and organizations who sent disaster relief - but we do have much more needed and although aid has been donated from other governments, it has yet to bear fruit in fixed roads, bridges etc.
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