Photos by Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
LEFT: Residents view the damage caused by Tropical Storm Gustav at McGregor Gully, St Andrew.
RIGHT: Flood waters caused by Gustav rush through McGregor Gully.

Shocked residents struggled to hold back the tears as they looked at what was left of their homes on the banks of the McGregor Gully in South East St Andrew yesterday morning.

Metres away, on the bank of the Burgher Gully, it was a similar situation as residents reflected on the damage done by Tropical Storm Gustav.

The flood waters brought by Gustav were too much for the two gullies and they quickly burst the retaining walls before swallowing several homes.

Many more houses were flooded, leaving scores of persons homeless.

On the banks of the McGregor Gully, residents told The Gleaner that the deafening roar of the water alerted them to the potential danger shortly after eight on Thursday night.

Minutes later, a section of the retaining wall collapsed, pushing the muddy flood waters and debris into houses and carrying anything that was not firmly anchored.

Motor cars, trees, bikes, clothes, walls and appliances were all taken by the water with at least eight houses destroyed.

A section of First Avenue was reduced to a river bed as the water destroyed the asphalt on its way to the sea.

Prepared

Less than 400 metres away, on Burger Avenue, residents were well aware of the danger once Gustav hit the island Thursday night and they were somewhat prepared.

"We always have a team in place that patrols all through the night whenever time these disasters come around," said Burgher Avenue resident Orlando 'King' Hamilton.

houses washed away

But that was not enough to save the more than seven houses that were washed away and the residents could do little more than look as many other houses were flooded.

"Persons were on their house tops and we have to use ropes and all kinds of mechanisms to get them to safety and take them to a basic school and a church for shelter," Hamilton added.

He said it would cost more than $50 million to help the residents put their lives back together.

- Arthur Hall