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Grenada Devastated
Ivan The Terrible
We found on the internet this story by Neocell
Grenada Devastated by “Ivan the Terrible” – Story By Neocell
The Preparation: Monday September 6th 2004
As the island watched the projections on the internet and on TV about Ivan’s
path, and projections the people of Grenada all prepared in various ways. None
of us had any idea just what we were in for. Most businesses boarded up as they
had done for all previous storm warnings and most institutions were closed at or
before 12pm that day. Most were optimistic that as with previous storms, it
would move north before hitting Barbados and we (as usual) would be saved. Some
more pessimistic of us were fearing the worst as the storms track seemed to be
holding south of 11.8N Latitude, Grenada being 12+ N Latitude. That day was
spent buying “vital supplies” of non perishable foods and several 5L bottles of
water. Water was being purchased at such a rate in the supermarket that they
eventually stopped trying to unpack the water from the boxes and people started
just buying whole boxes. The lines in most supermarkets were as if you took
Christmas, Easter and Carnival shopping all in one day. Later that afternoon I
drove around to friends and family wishing them luck and then off to TEN’s place
for a quick 3 games of Halo on an Xbox he has, just to get ones mind off of
current events. That evening brought with it an oddly calm sea and the most
interesting sunset of pink. Time was spend filling covered containers with water
and placing barrels under the roof spouting to collect the rain water for
general cleaning use. Covering electronics with garbage bags and ensuring that
all mobile phones were charged and flashlights were at hand. One AT&T, one
Digicel and one cable and wireless for good measure.
The Calm Before the Storm: Tuesday September 7th 2004
At first light I awoke to find that only a light rain fell in St. David’s that
night, interesting since projections claimed we would see showers starting at
2am and most expected it to rain hard and continuous all thought the night. A
quick check on the internet showed the worst of news, the projected path
continued to be Grenada. One also found that NAWASA has taken the water supply,
odd we commented since the storms effects were no being noticed. Other then the
eire quiet of an island in waiting, it seemed like a normal overcast scattered
show day, that is, until 10:30am… The phone calls started…. “Boy, if you see
rain in Gouyave nah boy” one friend reports. “I don’t know about my uncle, he
lives so close to the sea” he remarked… we talked about general storm things for
a few minutes and then came off the phone.. Online thru MSN messenger came
reports of rain all over the island, high seas and moderate winds. Already a few
board houses in Gouyave were lost. By 12:30pm effects of the storm had begun.
Sometime after 2pm I post a picture and a short 6mb AVI on the forum.. My friend
and school mate from Gouyave types to me in MSN “We are all gonna die” and that
is the last message I receive from him, “his internet connection appears to have
been lost” reports MSN, shortly after that, power is cut. I go online and post
message 287356 and shutdown the laptop and pack up Kestrel (the other computer)
That was the last communication I had with the outside world until today.
Its now 2:20pm and I sit in my window and watch and my neighbors trees
all come crashing down. I think to myself “If this is the hurricane, then I
think Grenada will be ok” in retrospect I think it was just a lot of wishful
thinking.
3:40pm, the winds have picked up a considerable bit and the rain comes
hammering down, Callaloo sway in unison to a music that they alone can hear.
4:02pm, “Come and see this” mom calls, I leave my room and go to see what
it is.. I get no farther then 3 steps out of my room when debris connects with
the window I was just looking out of. Bits of wood and glass cover my floor, and
wind and rain are driven through the shattered and twisted Aluminum window, I
marvel at the bend in wrought-iron bars in the window which kept the bulk of the
debris out of my room. Seconds later a loud noise of another impact breaks a
window in the kitchen and tears both full 66gal solar units free from the roof.
Shortly there after, the roof follows.
4:10pm, All becomes quiet! No wind, no rain, no noise….the eye…”When the
Eye comes, all will becomes still, don’t be fooled stay inside” a voice in my
head reminds me. I go outside to take a quick look at the damage. Snap 4
pictures and then come back inside….”It’s the eye, it’s the eye, the wind is
going to shift, lets get to the other side of the house” I tell everyone… The
Eye lasts all of 4 minutes for us and then, with a vengeance the wind returns,
this time from the other direction bringing with it a hail of other peoples
galvanized roofing. Electrical Poles bend like bamboo in the wind. The wind
snaps one of the METAL bolts in the living room door .. then the second bold
bends clear and the locks snap.. the door gives way to the wind and the
livingroom is breached. Wind rain and deris of mostly leaves and dirt rip
through the room. Electronics covered by plastics bags are now moved in a mad
rush from that room to another. Many attempts are made to close the doors back,
with no success… eventually, the now soaked sofa and a rock are now used to keep
the door as closed as possible…
The winds die down to more of a tropical storm…
Wind and rain continues well into the night. Everyone goes to bed, no one sleeps,
the sound of the doors knocking between the sofa and the rock do nothing to help.
All are glad that we are all alive and in once piece…
The Morning after: September 8th 2004 (First Light)
6:02am, I wake up and removed my cell phones from the zip locked bag with
my passport. AT&T, no service, Digicel, No Network, C&W, No Network I turn them
off, put them back and grab my camera… The words “My God…” faintly escape my
mouth as I exit the front door. I take a quick survey of the damage and then
proceed to check on the neighbors. To my delight, everyone has survived…3 houses
alone have roofs remaining, One has Concrete tiles and the other two have wood
shingles and where protected from the winds because of their location… Up to
date, those 3 houses remain in the minority as every other house I see has lost
at least a section of their roof.
Later I take pictures of all the damage to the house and proceed to check the
area to ensure friends are alive. Everyone I checked on was alive and well…
When I return to the gap, I find that a group of neighbors have cleared the road
out to the main road. I get into my car and see just how far the road goes. In
Calivigny I meet up with a few SUV’s that have come from as far away as grand
mal & True Blue, satisfied that the road is passable to a good distance, I head
back.
Later that day we head out to town to look for family and friends since the cell
network remains offline, radio stations are all offline, cable TV and land lines
of course are all down as well. While looking for family and friends the
devastation we pass along the way brings members of my party to tears. You can
see clear to everywhere, places once obscured were now out in the open and
what’s this
3 guys walking thru springs with Andal Shopping bags? Stores are open? “Don’t
watch that, money spend” one guy yells as we stare in surprise, counting in our
heads what supplies we need to buy…. Only to find that no stores were open, it
was just people helping themselves, Andal, Shell Select, food land, Bryden and
Minors, independence agencies all being looted. We checked on our family and
friends quickly and then got the hell out of dodge! As we drove by Bryden and
Minors warehouse and main office on the Lagoon, we saw a crowd yelling at a
couple of SSU armed with M16 Assault riffles who were trying to keep order and
were managing to keep the looters at bay, then for no apparent reason they
walked away, the crowd still did not enter the building, and then again for no
apparent reason one of the SSU shouted to the mob, “Do wha allyu wan”, the words
were echoed by a looter and the mod stormed the warehouse. Another man shocked
as I was at the comment told the officer “Give me your gun, let me do your job”
Nightfall brought more looting and so did the next day.
Grenada’s darkest hour unfolds….
Storm Clips from my Aunts house where I was:
Neocell's Pictures
- Page 1: Panoramic Pic's
- Page 2: The Day After
- Page 3: 2 Days After
- Page 4: A Few Days After