Senior citizen recalls ‘60 washout’ in Bath, St Thomas

Byron Lloyd steadied himself on the stack of blocks before affixing the worn hat that was casually positioned on his head. The 70-odd-year-old resident of Fountain Road in Bath, St Thomas, was preparing himself to relate what he remembered as one of the most devastating flood situations of his time; one he referred to as the '60 washout'.

He related: "1960 was a bad year for us. The whole entire Bath area was washed away. It even cost one life ... a man who was trying to cross the bridge and ended up getting washed away with the bridge.

"When the '60 washout happened, landslides cut down below the fountain house up the hill and blocked the river course. After it block the river course, the river swell up big like a big dam, so when it buss weh, the water cover everywhere from up deh guh straight down, and level the whole place. It wash weh houses, shops and everything," Lloyd recalled.

His experienced eyes revealed that he had seen much over the years, but none quite like the '60s.

"Is the worse I ever see happen in Bath. Until after that, the Government was asking everybody to move from here. Dem did seh a out by Airy Castle Bath people fi guh live, but nuff people nuh waa live there. Them never want to leave their likkle plot of land to go anywhere else. But eventually, some went because everything they had did wash away.

"Mi did young ... just a boy, suh a mi uncle did response fi mi," he shared adding that his uncle opted to remain in the community.

With the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1, residents of the area have raised concerns about the tendency of the Sulfur River to overflow its banks, causing massive landslides and flooding. Residents of Fountain Road in the community say they are trusting God to be their refuge this hurricane season in light of flood threats posed by river that flows through their community.

In the past, heavy rains have caused the river to overflow its banks, causing massive landslides that have proven hazardous to their homes and lives.

Describing the river groin in the area as old and deteriorated, Lloyd told THE STAR that it may not be enough to prevent a dreadful flood situation like that of 1960. However, as the old man of good countenance gently held the hands of a toddler, who was busy romping around the yard, a beam of hope overcame his face.

"It did bad and it can happen again, it nuh impossible. But we still have to live again and take care of wiself," he said with a gummy smile.