CEWN Caribbean Emergency and Weather Net

"The following article was submitted by J88CD and was also submitted to the local newspapers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. As the issue under review is disaster related, it is felt that the lessons learnt from this experience could help disaster managers develop means of early warning for residents in flood prone areas and who use the river for communal purposes. The CEWN invites all hams to submit articles for posting on our link which can help inform others about current events in the amateur radio fraternity. Send all articles or responses to this article to cewn2005@yahoo.com ."

 

RIVER COME DOWN OY !!!

I frequently take my youngest two sons on outings that include mountain climbs, water falls, river baths and the list can go on. Last Sunday, September 18 we got through preparing lunch early and decided to hike the Vermont Nature Trail. My boys have lots of energy to release and I would also use this opportunity to test run some equipment received recently from Cable & Wireless. And while I am on this subject of wireless radio, let me also take this opportunity to thank First Caribbean Bank and Digicel who also donated similar equipment to that donated by C & W. One radio will be placed at Rose Hall, the other in the Marriaqua Valley, while the third radio will be a back up radio at RRL HQ's and which will also be used from a mobile for deployment to disaster affected areas. That was the one we were testing out from the 'field'.

At the entrance to the trail we located a suitable tree, affixed a wire antenna and in less than five minutes we were chatting with friends in Grenada, Arnos Vale and Barbados. Shortly after packing up shop, satisfied that the experiment was a success we decided to hike the trail, but dark ominous clouds over the area where we were to hike made me change my mind. An old adage came to mind readily, 'a good captain knows when to cancel his voyage'.

As soon as I closed the car door to begin my return journey, BOOM ! a clap of thunder bade me farewell, and I was glad that I made the right decision. As soon as the vehicle reached the CWSA catchment, rain began and trailed us until we cleared out Vermont. The rain continued unabated for about 40 minutes accompanied with loud peals of thunder. I journeyed to Buccament Bay where the Vermont River enters the sea. There was a lady washing clothes close to the river mouth. I told her that 'in a short while where you are sitting now will be covered with water because the rain was falling very heavy in the mountains and flood waters would soon be rushing down here'. She continued washing as she was helping an old lady who was incapable of doing so. About fifteen minutes after I told the woman about the impending deluge, a young man drove up his car to the river's edge and shouted, "the river coming down, it done reach by the new bridge, watch out !!!", but the woman continued washing. In the presence of the man who brought the news again , I warned the lady, didn't I tell you that the river was coming down? I ordered my boys who were swimming 'between the fresh and the salt' to get out immediately.

    

Strange but true, the rain only sprinkled Buccament Bay for three seconds, apart from that it was blistering hot and sunny on the beach. On my way to pick up a soft drink for my boys aged 10 and 8, I met another lady with her three year old going for a river bath, I didn't know her, but I warned her that the river would be coming down any time now. She had barely gotten to the river's edge and was about to undress to bathe in the placid waters when suddenly the river began to rise. This unusual occurrence caused everyone to scramble to safety on the river bank. In seconds, a tranquil setting was transformed into churning mass of muddy water with tons of debris in the whole mix. What turned out to be a bitch, was forcefully taken away by the rushing waters and the poor dog could not free itself from the strong current until it was washed about fifty yards out into the sea, after which it was able to swim to safety on the beach.

When I confronted the two ladies telling them "didn't I tell you that the river was coming down ?" both of them had the same response although I spoke to them separately, they both wanted to know how I knew that. The lady who was washing said that she saved the clothes but lost her scrubbing brush because everything happened so quickly.

The lessons learned. First we need a community alert system to warn residents who use the river for communal purposes of impending flash floods. What that young man did was a good way of spreading the news. He arrived at the river mouth at least eight minutes before the river 'came down' in that location. He had a car so that gave him a head start. What if there is a flash flood and the persons who are aware of it have no means of communications or communicating ? A siren maybe, sounded in a particular fashion, with simulations held at least twice a year so that residents can be made familiar with the particular warnings for flash flooding. We were lucky this time, even the dog.

Donald De Riggs.

 

 

last updated September 22, 2005 by J79DL with input from J88CD --

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