Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter
A woman stands by a house that has been covered with water in the community of Harmons in Manchester. - PHOTOS BY NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
"This is the time that we all must pray. God will not give us more than we can manage."
THE COMMUNITY of Harmons in Manchester is slowly disappearing under water. An underground spring has been flooding the area for the past three months and shows no sign of letting up anytime soon.
Several houses and shops have already been swallowed by the rising waters, and many others are now in imminent danger of also going under.
Residents, whose homes are covered by the water, have been forced to stay with friends. Meanwhile, the authorities recently warned others to leave the area as soon as possible, suggesting that they stay with relatives.
The Gleaner was in the community on Monday and found the residents tense, as the water continued to rise by the minute.
'Aunt Lou' is an 86-year-old woman who has lived in the community for the past 58 years. When the news team was in the community, the water was only about 10 feet away from the front door of her house. "This is the time that we all must pray. God will not give us more than we can manage, so we just have to turn to him," she said, looking nervously across at the approaching water.
MOST RECENT EPISODE
But this is not the first time that water has mysteriously risen from the ground in the Harmons community. According to Aunt Lou and several other residents, it first occurred in 1933, then in 2002. This most recent episode started about three months ago.
The news team observed the water rising from the ground at the base of a large ackee tree. "This little spot is causing all of this," said James Morrison, a long-time resident of the community.
It was easy to underestimate just how high the water was. But a resident took the news team to a spot where it all became clear very quickly. It was like a sea. The only things poking out from the water were the tops of light poles and the roofs of a few houses.
Henry Booch, a 76-year-old resident, was looking out at the water from the verandah of his home. The water was already in his yard and had submerged his water tank. "I am really worried. I don't know what will happen next," he said. Mr. Booch said the water was rising even more quickly than in 2002, and so he expected far more damage this time around. "That time the water didn't come very close. But this time is a different thing."
Residents said that if the water did not stop rising, they expected the entire community to be under water in about three weeks. As the news team left the community, a young woman nursing a baby made a chilling statement. "Thanks for coming. But maybe next time you come here all of us drown cause we don't have anywhere to go."
