As we approached the pocket that is known as “the Cochrane side of Good Hope”, we heard screams from on top the hill. The screams were chilling, full of anguish and accompanied with shouting, “I’m not staying here tonight, I’m not staying here! I don’t know where I reaching but I going!”
They were the cries of Sylma Joseph who lost her father and two children a result of the passage of Tropical Storm Erika. No one knew that Erika was heading our way on that fateful morning of Thursday, August 27th, 2015 but she quickly made her presence felt with the abundance of showers that she brought with her. Those showers proved to be too much for the unstable soil in the Cochrane area of Good Hope where three landslides occurred in close proximity to each other. One of them took the lives of half of Sylma’s household.
“I wake up by 6:30 to 7:00 but my cylinder gas was finished so I went in the kitchen outside to catch the fire and when I catch the fire, it was a bit cold. Anyway, I went to find piece of galvanize underneath the house and I lean it on the kitchen for the rain not to enter into the kitchen by the fire side. So when I nail the first end of the galvanize, I come I nail the second one, it fly out. Then I took the third one and I nail it. When I give it the first shot and I come to lift up my hand to give it the second shot, I just hear ‘Bow!’” she recounted.
She said there was no time to try to help the other members of her family who were inside the house because when she looked back, all she saw was the landslide rushing towards her.
” If I saw the house standing, I would jump inside to get them out but I saw nothing except the landslide coming towards me. I just fly, go down. I got a blow on my knee and I try to get up again. When I see the big thing coming towards me I try to stand up again; it hit me. I get a blow on my left thigh. Then I get up again; it hit me again, I roll down, I go down, I go down then I stop a good distance,” Joseph recalled.
She said she stood up, shook her head in attempt to clear it and shouted, ‘Nobody not there, I not seeing nobody’ whereupon her boyfriend, Ricky Labassiere, who was in the kitchen when the landslide occurred, answered.
Ricky had rolled to the bottom of the hill as well. He came over to her and shook her to her senses. That’s when she asked for her children. They were nowhere in sight. The house and kitchen were no more. The gushing water that accompanied the landslide was enough to form a lake at the bottom of the hillside. Then, suddenly, her grandson – Dylan Joseph – the sixth member of her household, popped up from the lake. Ricky plucked him from the water and, with that act, saved Sylma from even more grief.
“He saved Dylan from drowning and when I watched up and then down, there was nowhere to go so we went across. We had to jump a good distance eh to reach another property. I take one heart and I just fly over. I grabbed a plantain plant and I see it bending towards the ravine which would sweep me away so I grab a bigger stalk and I go up. I told Ricky swing the child back and send him for me. Then I tell him jump and give him my hand to come up.”
Battered and bruised, with her father, 85-year old Fabien Joseph and two daughters – 7-year-old Josiah Bonnie and 9-year-old Jocelyn Bonnie, lost to the landslide, Sylma found the strength to run down the hill on the other side and call for help. She could not walk for four days after the incident and appears to be still in shock. She sometimes speaks of her children in the present tense and she is not coping well.
“Every time I come to close my eyes to sleep, I seeing the whole thing happen. I seeing my two children because they were two loving children. To me, they were just two special children. They were helpful to me, small as they are. All what I was doing, cassava, anything I were doing they were helping me. They were two brave children, loving, kind. They were two special children,”
Another daughter who is of secondary school age is with a friend in St. Joseph and all Sylma wants is to get out of the village. She hasn’t had a chance to grieve properly, has received no counselling and is crying out to be relocated. She and her boyfriend are staying with family members but they are uncomfortable and unhappy. In short, there is no support system in place for Sylma who is herself, a victim.
The situation that she is in was too much to hold back the tears. “Please, if all you could do that for me, please! I just need a proper space of my own, a place to rest my head. Just to get out of the village. Tonight I not staying there,” she said, crying uncontrollably. “I build my house 20 by 20. I try my best to have build it and the embarrassment I getting now, I want to ask the Government or whoever to see to it that they get me out immediately. The Parl Rep was there the first day when it happen. He tell me he will pass back but I don’t see him yet. Try to do that for me please that I get out of here.”
Too many terrifying memories, too much unimaginable grief, too little assistance but Sylma lives in hope that her cries will be heard, that she will be relocated and that she will once again have a home to call her own.
EDITOR’S NOTE: DNO has since learned that Sylma and her son are now housed at the Dominica Grammar School and are receiving counselling.
So heart-wrenching! My God, she needs You now more than ever. Sylma, I pray that you and your family find comfortable shelter, medical treatment and counseling to aid you in mentally overcoming this tragedy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Couldn’t finish the story without crying for her. Truly touching and sad.
We must all keep praying for the families, but remember we all need to be practical and offer some form of help in kind or cash.
Sylma u had courage to fight and survive . It was god who helped you and he will do it again. Heavenly father, help this woman to sustain all the grief. U will be strong my sister. Just call on jesus.
my heart goes out to Sylma Joseph her son and boyfriend don”t give up have Faith.
So painful I feel for you Sylma, happy to know you’re be helped. May you find peace in these trying times.
sylma i don’t know you personally but from reading your story i think that you are a very brave and strong woman. you have been through the worst already just bear in mind that god never gives us more that we can bear and that your grandson dylan needs you so sister be strong under the circumstances try your best you have a lot of people praying for you.time heals all pain one day things must get better
Forgotten indeed. I don’t hear much on the media about Symla’s plight. It’s like only people in Petite Savanne died. Families in different parts of Dominica had loss of lives let us reach out to all…not some. Shame on you Jono. There is no reason why you could not do better my Symla
My gosh! This is one sad story and of survival. It is a shock for her. Due to this experience, she is undergoing traumatic stress and shock.
I pray and hope this lady receives good counseling. She needs this mortal and spiritual help. She survived for a reason and God knows the reason.
I hope she gets proper accommodation, where she can rest her head, as she says. She needs peace of mind.
Lord, you know this lady. Please surround her with your love, protection and supporting strength which will enable her to have peace of mind and to return to a normal life. In Jesus Name, through His Most Precious Blood, I pray. Thank you Lord!
I couldn’t finish reading the whole story……too sad
I just want to say RIP to the 2 angels
and to thair mother ; Be of good courage and take everything to the lord in prayer
Sylma Dylan and Ricky are going to need psychological counselling for a long time. Only she knows her pain. I can only say a prayer for them and wish them God’s guidance.
This is amongst one of the saddest and heart wrenching stories i have read so far..please send me her personal information so i can send whatever i can put together. The tears can’t stop falling. .
Hotels and Guest houses should be able to house the victims who have no where to stay at the moment..
Very sad and heartbreaking just remember God is Good keep strong in prayer and God will heal and Dominica will rise again
Stay strong cuz the good Lord will see u through, we out here in the USA is praying for u n the family god bless u my cuz
Rip to u all,u were such loving neighbours .it will never be the same without joslyn ,will be missed by many especially me.
Father I stretch my hands to thee, no other help that I have known . If thou will stretch your hands to Ms Joseph lord where else can she go? Father comfort Ms Joseph as she mourn that great lost. Lord it is not an easy road for this lady, but with your strength she can come through please lord comfort her. I am in tears because I to is hurting, my heart is crying out Jesus you promise never to leave us so please send your guiding angel to keep watch over Ms Joseph and all those who are mourning the death of their love ones in Jesus name I pray with thanks giving AMEN
I think also that this lady needs to see a doctor for the blows she received on her thighs and other parts of her body.
Hold on sylma, with your grand son on your side, your generation will continue. I feel your pain.
This is really sad. I read that and tears almost filled my eyes. I hope she gets some help in dealing with her enormous loss. Stay strong Sylma.
Tears…
Hold on Sylma, only time will heal your pain. God has not forgotten you, just trust him and he will see you through. Wait on the Lord and be of good courage.
God, I don’t know how many more of those heart-breaking, chilling stories I can read…I’m in my office and tears just rolling down my cheeks.
I’m contributing to the relief fund. I don’t have much, but surely I have more than these poor, desperate survivors.
God Bless you and keep you Sylma, Ricky, Dylan.
sad sad sad.. tooo much grief. may God keep her and restore her mind.. amen
What a sad, sad, plight. That is all I can say for now. But hoping for the sake of the victims, this situation will be nothing but a memory that we all will want to forget.
God is good. Just be strong. I’ll keep you in my prayers.
you are not forgotten dear. Just hold strong. It will take some time because food needs to reach everyone and make sure no one in still in dangers way. Dominica will rise again.
Good Hope will never be the same again after this tragedy. we have lost a lot and Clyma losing her kids is tough. every mother know how painful that would be. i pray for the people of good hope that they will find a way to move on from this. that this will bring us closer together as a community. may God help us all
We have to provide emotional support to each other. Many people have been traumatized and will need help to get though this.
It is such a sad situation. May the good Lord continue to look over you and your grand son. My prayers are with you
This is so sad and makes me cry…. this lady needs help. She needs to be able to talk about her experience to a counselor… Someone please reach out to her…
Omg i pray god that u have the courage to cope lord be with her to her children n father rest in peace
This is a sad situation
After reading this article it is painful if you need a place to stay please contact me.
Your number please?
May the souls of the departed rest in peace. Sylma my condolences to you and your family and may God continue to be your strength in the darkest hours and always.
I sent word to my mom who is overseas but has a house in Roseau valley. Hopefully the answer will be favorable if it’s not being rented.
R.I.P to Josiah to Joselyn. I will forever remember you Josiah. Always friendly and so loving. You will be missed by everyone in the village of Good Hope. Be safe angel. ?