AFTER SEVEN months of gloom, discomfort, desperation and daunted spirits, residents of Harmons in south Manchester are breathing a communal sigh of relief with the discovery that the hitherto rising water, which peaked at 110 feet in some areas, has begun to recede.
However, this latest development has caught many affected residents still pondering what to do when the disaster is over completely because since the beginning of the phenomenon, life has been at a virtual standstill for them.
The water which still covers a vast area of the community continues to make access to several parts of the community impossible, and poses a health risk for residents.
Now, malnourished-looking ackee trees which were totally submerged up to three months ago, are visible and debris surfaces daily from the water.
Dwight Smikle, senior hydrogeologist at the Water Resources Authority, told The Gleaner in an interview that the phenomenon of the rising water was the effect of last year's May/June flood rains which equalled the average amount of rainfall for two years.
Solo Nicholson, 78, of Harmons, said: "When this dry up it will be pretty tough, because the whole place lef' devastated, no livelihood, no nutten." Several other residents who shared similar sentiments lamented that the level of assistance from Government agencies was unsatisfactory.
