Mandir roof blown off, utility pole split

Jun 16, 2011 News

….as freakish weather hits Hague Back

High winds and heavy rains around 07:00 hours yesterday knocked out the electricity supply in a section of Hague, West Coast Demerara.
The mini storm also lifted off a large portion of the roof of the Hague Back Vedic Mandir, hurling zinc sheets across a trench and into the rice fields several metres away.

The Hague Back Vedic Mandir with its damaged roof

When this newspaper visited the area yesterday just before midday, several electric wires were dangling dangerously across the roadways and residents were lamenting the lack of response from the Guyana Power and Light incorporated.
A resident who lives close to the Mandir related that he was not at home when the storm occurred. However news of the high winds and heavy rains were relayed to him while he was at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.
“We were feeling it even while we were in the bus at the airport.”
However, according to the resident, he was not prepared for what he saw when he returned home yesterday morning.
“The wires were everywhere,” the resident said. Another resident who lives opposite the damaged Mandir told Kaieteur News that she was sitting on a bench under her house when she saw zinc sheets “flying everywhere”.
“I was scared, yes. I thought that it would hit my house,” the woman said.
So intense was the storm that a wooden utility pole was spilt and was being propped up by high tension electric wires.
This newspaper was told that worship at the Mandir will be affected for a few days until the roof is repaired. Meanwhile, by late yesterday evening power was reportedly restored.
Hague Back is one of several areas that were hit by freakish weather pattern yesterday.