Church Corner Resident Finds Emergency Shelter at Paul Bogle High for Nearly 40 Years

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s passage on October 28, Church Corner resident, Sylvia DaCosta, remains deeply grateful for the refuge she found at Paul Bogle High School in St. Thomas – a sanctuary once again through another major weather event.

Ms. DaCosta recalls seeking shelter at the school since 1988, weathering some of the nation’s fiercest storms, including the infamous Hurricane Gilbert, with quiet fortitude and enduring faith.

This stems from her residence in a flood-prone area, placing her among the most vulnerable in times of natural disasters.

Ms. DaCosta tells JIS News that although there are other shelters nearby, including Morant Bay Primary School, “I choose to come here (Paul Bogle High).”

“I am not used to the Morant Bay shelter. My family and I are used to over here and we feel comfortable here,” she shares.

Ms. DaCosta recalls that while Hurricane Beryl’s impact last year was relatively mild for her, the direct strike of Category Five Hurricane Melissa compelled her to seek higher ground to protect herself and her family.

Reflecting on shelter life at Paul Bogle High School, she states, “We get a lot of nice treatment; we get food stuff and blankets; we don’t feel left out. We feel like we are at home.”

Interestingly, Ms. DaCosta, who was at the shelter with several other family members, including children as young as seven months old, says she prepared her usual Sunday dinner of rice and peas with pork while at the facility.

“We cooked… on our coal stove until my sister brought up her gas stove and we cooked on it. We cooked chicken, pork, rice and peas and beef. We have been here from Sunday (October 26), so we cooked our regular Sunday dinner right here,” she tells JIS News.

Ms. DaCosta says she received word that her house was already being damaged by flood caused by days of rain leading up to Melissa’s landfall.

“We heard that the water went inside and the place is damaged. But as long as we have life, everything is alright,” she states optimistically.

At present, all emergency shelters in St. Thomas, except the facility in Seaforth, are empty as residents begin recovering from the impacts of Melissa.

In Seaforth, floodwaters washed away the homes of some residents, and the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation has been working to secure alternative living arrangements for those affected.

Throughout the parish, residents continue to face water and electricity challenges, which have been affecting the return to normalcy.

Still, a sense of hope permeates the atmosphere as the sun returns in full glory –almost as if to signal that brighter days truly lie ahead.