Just over a month after heavy rains caused Burger Gully in Mountain View to overflow, flooding several homes, one resident is expressing deep concern that Tropical Storm Melissa could leave her and her neighbours in an even worse situation this time around.

“Bwoy, mi nuh know enuh,” was the candid response from resident Beverly Underhill when asked by the Jamaica Observer about her preparations as the country braces for Tropical Storm Melissa.

However, she explained that while she is worried, she feels a bit more at ease because of how her house was specifically constructed.

“Is not all part of my house flood out, because up on the verandah has a little height so I have three rooms up there. So when the living room area, kitchen and bathroom area up there suh will flood, up there suh [she pointed to one of her bedrooms] mi can put up me tings that are in the living room on some block and tek it from there suh,” she explained.

Still, she expressed deep concern for her neighbours who live closer to the gully than she does.

“Listen, mi sorry fi him, enuh,” she said referring to neighbour Andrew Smith, who has also been impacted by flooding whenever heavy rain hits the community.

“There is a house by the gully that completely tear down and the person that used to live there haffi move out. Sometimes the water come down wicked pon dem, so mi really feel sorry fi them, but you see, dem will nuh really talk but it rough when them flood out,” she added.

However, Underhill was adamant that temporary relocation was not an option.

“You see when it flood, we nuh have the desire fi seh mi wah guh somewhere, but mi nah leff my yard go somewhere because mi nuh wah leff and when we come back we have nothing,” she said.

When the Jamaica Observer visited the area on Wednesday during a tour of the gully led by minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development Robert Morgan, it was observed that sandbags had been placed as a temporary measure to contain the overflow when water in the gully rises.

However, Underhill fears that this will not be enough.

“I believe its complacency that allow we to be in this position. You see if when mi did a talk to them they acted at the time, we would not be in this, and you see the sandbag weh them put deh so, it might alleviate the water for a little while, but mi a tell you, it a go wicked,” she declared.

As for the possible effects of the approaching bad weather, she remains hopeful that the community will be spared any major impact.

“The other day when the rain a fall mi seh, ‘Fada, you know mi cyah tek nuh more, so mi a beg you, if it fall and stop, and then fall and stop, we can cope, but if it continue straight, people a go dead,” she said with a concerned look on her face.

Prior to her interview with the Observer, Underhill, who led Morgan and Member of Parliament (MP) Phillip Paulwell on a tour, was not shy to express her concerns despite the sandbags being installed for temporary relief.

“Wah mi think for the years that I live here so, I believe that there is more water that is let out in this gully and it cannot carry it… and I have been asking over the years to get it fixed,” she appealed to both MPs.

After hearing her plea, Morgan held out his hand with a smile saying, “we will talk”, a gesture that was not fully accepted by Underhill, who said that she is demanding action instead of talk.

She told the Observer that if her demands were not met for a proper reconstruction of the gully, she will ensure that the residents’ voices are heard.

“We want the gully fix and we will not rest until the gully fix, and if the gully nuh fix we a go tek it to the streets,” she warned.

Member of Parliament for Kingston East and Port Royal Phillip Paulwell steps on sandbags placed on the edge of Burger Gully to limit overflow as a result of heavy rain. He was on a tour of the Mountain View community on Wednesday.

Andrew Smith, resident of Burger Gully in Mountain View, has also been impacted by flooding when heavy rain hits the community.