Water come inna mi room,
Mi sweep out some wid di broom,
De little dog laugh to see such fun,
and the dish run away
with the spoon ...
Today is the 18th anniversary of the monstrous Hurricane Gilbert's rampage of Jamaica. The Category Four hurricane had winds of up to 184 mph and was the first hurricane to make direct landfall in Jamaica since 1951, when Hurricane Charlie passed over the island with winds around 100 mph. Hurricane Gilbert produced more than 27 inches of rain. Forty-five people were killed and the storm caused about US$4 billion (J$244 billion) in damage. We all have our own Gilbert story. Here are a few stories from some residents who will never forget that day in 1988.
KELLY
Edwin Kelly is a 66-year-old cassava farmer. He has four children and lives in Top York, St. Thomas. Hurricane Gilbert destroyed his small wooden home and all his crops.
"I will never forget that day when that brute of a hurricane was coming. I fall asleep on the chair when the cool breeze start blow and the rain start to fall. It was very light at first, and then it start get heavy.
"The next thing mi hear is mi daughter a scream out when the wind start halla. Mi heart start beat fast and mi start feel the water a drop pan mi head. When mi look mi see mi roof take off like plane and gone 'bout it business. Mi get a string and tie pan mi shirt and tell mi pickney dem fi hold on.
"Mi haffi draw fi mi bottle torch and walk with dem inna di rain over to Mr. Hastings' yard go kotch. When di rain stop, mi find out that all mi cassava gone. Is about a year before mi coulda build back a house and start plant again. Is the worst thing ever happen to me."
BENT
Charles Bent is 85. He is a pumpkin farmer who claims that Hurricane Gilbert was a lot worse than the 1951 Hurricane Charlie. He is from Seaforth in St. Thomas.
"I will never forget Hurricane Gilbert. It was really scary. I pass through the '51 storm and 'Gilbert', and believe me that Gilbert much worse. I had to run to a shelter when the rain start shake mi house and when I went back, the entire house lift up and gone. Up to today I nuh find it back.
"After the hurricane pass, I remember I couldn't even get food fi buy. I wouldn't want to see another hurricane like that again."
ANDERSON
Winnifred Anderson is 75 years old. She had to run out of her house when flood waters invaded her premises. She is from Clarendon.
"Every time I think about that hurricane I start to cry. I remember how I had to run when the water start to rise. I thought I was going to die. I was at home alone with my little son and when the water start come in, I didn't know what to do.
"I just grab him up and start wade in the water over to my neighbour's house. It take away my roof and mash up all of my furniture. But I thank God for sparing my life and I hope that it never hit us like that again."
BURGHER
Emilia Burgher is a homemaker from Kingston. Gilbert was the first hurricane she ever experienced.
"Every sheet of zinc blow off mi roof. I never save a thing. When I was in the house with my mother and start feel the vibration, I start bawl and run out into the rain. I had to run to a shelter and stay there until the rain stop. Everything I own get mash up. It was very scary."
BRYDON
Sylvia Brydon is a popular vendor from St. Thomas. She is known for having the best fruits and vegetables in the Seaforth Market. When Gilbert came calling, however, her vending took a severe beating.
"I couldn't get a thing to sell for more than a year. I always have people asking me about bananas, and when Gilbert lick, I couldn't get any bananas. I couldn't get anything. I nearly dead fi hungry. If it wasn't for my family then mi wouldn't survive."
