Brave residents trying to keep Content above water

A group of determined men in Content, Manchester, are fighting to stop rising water in their community which has already left about nine dwellings submerged.

Using more than 50 sand bags, the men are the only barrier standing stopping the surging floodwaters from taking more homes in the area.

"After Melissa pass, you see the water start come up. It used to stop down there so, but it reach far now. Them haffi a dig out trench and block it up so it don't overflow in the yard," said one resident while the volunteers shovelled and stacked the sand bags.

"It can get worse if rain fall, a nine house cover up down deh. Mi see them a wash dem foot in the water and mi just haffi shake mi head cause them nuh know better. All some little baby dem have a play in the water," the resident said. "Not because you see the water clean so, a underground the water a come from and it a mix wid pit and grave."

The Water Resources Authority has confirmed that groundwater levels in the local aquifer system have surged significantly between late September and early November, a rise of about 100 metres (330 feet) measured at a borehole near the site.

A taxi operator, who identified himself as Mr James, described how the water was creeping closer each hour.

"I've been watching it from yesterday (Sunday) and it never reach the sand bags yet, so the water a rise closer and faster. As far as I know, the water always come up when rain fall because here is the only outlet with waters from seven rivers, but this bad," he said. He added that operators have already had to reroute vehicles.

"Some taxi operators have to reroute and drive Kendall fi reach certain place, and if the people live this side, the taxi stop as far as them can go right here," he said.

The sight of men some digging up a nearby pit, some shovelling and moving away debris, is a show of community solidarity in what is shaping up to be a serious hazard. With municipal agencies still assessing the situation, the people have acted out of necessity.

"When it start affect Windalco you ago see dem come deal with it. The plant built on water fi cool down the appliances but as soon as them start get too much dem will find a solution," one resident said.

The immediate call is for reinforcement in the form of widening trenches to speed up drainage. But the lingering truth that some are tight-lipped about is relocation.

"The people them know say the water always a rise, the best thing them can do a relocate. This weh dem a do now can't help them," one woman said.