MANY Jamaicans were hopeful they’d seen the worst of Hurricane Melissa as it continued its northward trajectory away from the island after making landfall on October 28, and Yvonne Yates was no different.

But little did she know that catastrophic winds, paired with waterlogged soil, would result in a mudslide, rendering her Content Gap, St Andrew, home uninhabitable.

“It was late, a little after nine when it happened. I couldn’t sleep, I was just praying for everything to be over. Then, all of a sudden, I hear a tearing and a tumbling,” said Yates as she recounted the terrifying moment her Content Gap, St Andrew, house was breached.

She explained that a mango tree that stood behind her house was downed by the fierce winds of the Category 5 storm, which then knocked over her water tank that barrelled into a wall of her house — ripping it open and bringing with it flood water and mud.

Upon impact, a startled Yates and her granddaughter Shianna Mason — who had been riding out the storm with her — hurried to their feet to check out what had caused the sound.

“To be frank, I wasn’t looking for nothing like that. We were more worried about the roof coming off because the wind was terrible. We were so frightened, and so when we rush out into the living room we saw the wall burst out and the water tank pushing in. Both of us were just thinking of getting out of the house,” recounted Yates.

They then fled into the howling winds of the night, with the rain pelting against their skin as they dashed to find shelter. Yates told the Jamaica Observer that it was her cousin who quickly took them inside, where they spent the night.

“The damage was extensive,” said Yates, adding that she also lost furniture and other valuables.

“We had to put out all the dressers and the mattresses. I just make up my mind that I will have to buy new things, so I had to burn the two mattresses for the two bedrooms. I lost shoes, clothes, curtains, towels, all those things,” she said.

Yates admitted that due to the traumatic incident and the loss she’s suffered, her mental health has not been the best. She also disclosed that her granddaughter cannot stand being near the house because of the memories it now triggers.

“I hate going there, because every time I go there, I feel overwhelmed. I just want to come out of the place. At the beginning, though, I had to go there for the first three days straight. I tried to wash it, trying to get some of the things out, and then I was there to burn some things, but I don’t like going there.

“My granddaughter, she must have gone there only once since it happened. Even if we go to the community, she doesn’t go over to the house. She, instead, goes by my brother’s house to go collect clothes and stuff, because that’s where we pack our clothes. But, if she can help it, she don’t go there at all, so I know she’s more traumatised than me,” said Yates.

However, she noted that during her time of crisis, she’s had support from family and friends who’ve been helping to keep the pair afloat. She’s now staying with a friend on weekdays to facilitate her granddaughter going to school, and staying with her mother on weekends.

“I keep on telling people I have life; we have life. You know, something could have happened that killed both of us, even if it was that tree that fell down. So I’m just really happy that I have people around who were willing to help us so that we can keep going,” she said.

Now, in attempt to refurbish her home, Yates said she is in need of a backhoe to help remove the land slippage and requires materials to repair the wall and other damage done to the house.

“The floors are covered in mud. The wall completely mash up, so we really want a backhoe tractor to move out the excess mud, and we could really do with some ply board and other material to get back on track. So if anybody is seeing this and is willing to help, I don’t know, if it’s even to help with the mud, I would appreciate it,” said Yates.

Those willing to help may contact Yates at (876) 803-6500.

One of Yvonne Yates’ neighbours in Content Gap, St Andrew, shows the Jamaica Observer team where a landslide and water tank made a forceful entrance into Yates’ home after Hurricane Melissa made landfall on October 28.