Fallen coconut tree renders family homeless
Family in Zion, Trelawny, seeking to rebuild after traumatic experience
Published:Friday | July 5, 2024 | 12:07 AMRochelle Clayton/Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
Alethia Hylton and her two children are now homeless.
Their home – a board structure in Zion, Trelawny – was badly damaged after a coconut tree fell on to the structure during the passage of Hurricane Beryl on Wednesday afternoon.
Hylton explained that the tree, which was in her yard, fell into her children’s bedroom less than an hour after she had taken them into her neighbouring bedroom. The house was a small dwelling with only two rooms.
“We were inside, and I moved my daughter and son from around there and bring dem around to my room. The breeze started soon after, and I just heard ‘BOOM!’. When we looked, we saw that the ceiling was broken and water just started rushing in,” Hylton told The Gleaner on Thursday afternoon.
Wet clothes hung to dry around Hylton’s yard told a vivid story of what took place the day before as Hylton’s roof caved in, rendering the home unlivable.
She shared that her children, aged eight and 15, have been left frightened after experiencing a hurricane for the very first time.
“This was their first experience, and it was very traumatising for them. It was a lot of rain, so the whole house flood out,” Hylton said, noting that the loss of her home is an added devastating blow.
She explained that her children, who attend the nearby Granville Infant and Primary School and the St James High School in the neighbouring parish, will be greatly affected by this loss.
“This is a big pushback for me. My son just got prefect at school and mi nuh know how mi go start dem for the new school year because we have to build back,” she said. “This can’t be fixed. We have to pull it down completely and start all over again.”
Hylton, however, was grateful for the help of her neighbour, who she said ran to her family’s aid on Wednesday afternoon after witnessing the tree fall on to the house.
“We had to stay over her house. We couldn’t stay there. Water just started to run inside, so we couldn’t stay in here. The whole house was soaked,” she said.
In the meantime, she is hoping to quickly rebuild her house to provide a home for her family.
“I built this house and then I went to Kingston to work. I moved back to Trelawny when COVID hit Jamaica in 2020. I will be trying to rebuild because my children need a home,” said Hylton.