Canal upgrades boost hurricane confidence

Following years of flooding woes in Sunset Crest, Holetown, residents are optimistic that this year’s hurricane season will not see as much flooding as previous years, after extra measures were taken to avoid major impact.

The canal has frequently overflowed its banks and flooded their homes over the years, but they believe this year should be different as the government has made moves to ensure problematic areas were addressed and neighbourhood groups are collaborating to keep their areas clear.

One resident who has lived at Jamestown Park for 39 years recalled stories of what she and her neighbours dealt with in the past.

“We’ve had flooding,” she told Barbados TODAY. “When the canal was not as wide as it is now, we used to get a lot of flooding from the back. It would come up from Fourth Avenue and then spill over into the avenues. All the avenues would be full of water. There’d be swimming coming down, people’s dustbins floated away.”

(Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham/Barbados TODAY)

Major flooding had become far less frequent after the canal was widened, she said, noting that until recently, the neighbourhood had gone about 15 years without a serious incident.

“It was this year, earlier this year, or was it late last year, when we had for the first time, surprisingly in about 15 years, flood and it did spill over into the avenues,” she said. “But that was just one incident.”

She recalled staying awake during the heavy rainfall to protect her home:

“It started raining about nine o’clock at night; my neighbour called me, she said the canal was filling up, then about one o’clock in the morning it was still raining, not heavy, I had to get out of bed and put my sandbags up at the back because that’s where it would come through for us.”

Although floodwaters entered her property, there was no damage but it was still scary as this had not happened in a long time, she said. 

She explained that even when floodwater does not enter homes, it can make travelling impossible:

“I remember coming over the bridge by Limegrove and then turned into Jamestown Park the first avenue was fine but then I had to step down and walk up to my ankles and make my way in. One of my neighbours had to stay on the bus stop until her husband collected her because the roads were flooded.”

Despite the improvements, she remained cautious every hurricane season, saying residents continue to keep sandbags ready and closely monitor weather conditions. 

She also recounted one of the worst floods the neighbourhood experienced several years ago because debris blocked the drainage system. 

“It was gushing through here, literally gushing through,” she said. “My dad was alive at the time, and we had to hold hands. Mum was one end, I was in the middle, and dad was trying to get to the gate to open it so the water could gush through. When he pushed back the gate, his leg went [back] because of the force of the water.”

The frightening experience, she said, still influences how residents react whenever heavy rain is forecast.

“We get real paranoid when you hear a little bit of rain.”

Residents had also been enquiring whether the canal had been dredged ahead of the hurricane season and were still waiting for updates on a proposed emergency evacuation route that had been discussed during community meetings, she said.

In Sunset Crest, James said conditions had improved significantly compared with previous years. 

“Three or four months ago there was water rushing down the road and all our garbage bins ended up at the gas station,” he recalled. “But I’ve never gotten water in the house.”

Flooding mainly affects traffic around Rubis Service Station and the corner by Limegrove; it does not help the traffic situation, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall, he said. 

“If I was worried about anything, it’s that in the event of a hurricane or heavier rain, if the drains are not cleared and it’s high tide, just how far up the water would come.”

James agreed that previous drainage works have made a noticeable difference. He noted that since the area is considered swamp land there is the possibility of shifting of housing structures but that is not something he has experienced. 

“From what I understand, they dredged and rebuilt some drains some years ago. What seemed to have been frequent flooding, I’ve only ever witnessed it once. I guess whatever it is they’re doing has been working.”

His family keeps batteries and candles stocked, while laminated windows provide additional protection during storms, he said. 

But James’ greatest concern is an abandoned neighbouring property with large trees that could pose a danger during strong winds.

He praised the work of the Sunset Crest Association, which coordinates the collection of tree branches and yard cuttings after residents clean their properties.

“The Sunset Crest Association sends a truck around weekly or bi-weekly to collect all the cuttings. So we’re working together.”