More than 120 roofs damaged as freak storm batters Essequibo Coast

…teacher injured at Riverstown Primary School during storm

…earth tremor from earthquake near T&T, Venezuela felt across parts of Guyana

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday visited the Essequibo Coast, where he received a detailed briefing from regional officials and other agencies after a freak storm caused widespread damage across Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
The freak storm which brought heavy winds and rainfall affected several communities along the Essequibo Coast, damaging homes, schools, public buildings and utility infrastructure. Regional officials reported that more than 120 roofs were damaged with both extensive and moderate impacts recorded across affected areas.
Residents described the winds as the strongest they had experienced, with President Ali noting that while conditions were not classified as hurricane-force, the impact on the ground was significant.
“The damage on the surface seems not elaborate, but when you go into the communities, we have more than 120 roofs already reported in the system,” President Ali said. “We have extensive to moderate damage across homes and public infrastructure.” He said several public facilities, including schools, the Anna Regina stadium, police station, and fire station, sustained varying levels of damage. A section of a stand at the local stadium was also affected, while some concrete structures were reportedly brought down by the force of the wind. At least one teacher was injured after a structural collapse and is receiving medical attention.
The Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry confirmed that the newly constructed Anna Regina Stadium sustained damage when strong winds tore sections of roofing material from the structure.

Officials said no injuries were reported at the site. Emergency repair teams have been mobilised, and engineers are assessing whether additional reinforcement is required before the facility’s scheduled commissioning.

Emergency response & relief efforts
President Ali said emergency response teams, including the army, police, the Civil Defence Commission, engineers, Men on Mission and regional officials, have been deployed to provide immediate assistance. Temporary roofing solutions using tarpaulins have already been distributed, with more supplies being transported to affected communities.
He noted that priority is being given to vulnerable groups, including the elderly, persons with disabilities and single-parent households, as well as public infrastructure.
More than 120 tarpaulins have already been deployed, with additional materials expected to be installed over the coming days as part of ongoing recovery efforts. The government has set a target to restore basic roofing support to affected households within 48 hours, while larger structural repairs, including schools and public buildings, may take longer.

Injured teacher & damaged schools
The Education Ministry confirmed that several schools sustained structural damage, particularly in Region Two. The Anna Regina Multilateral School and Rivertown Primary School were among the most affected.
A teacher from Riverstown Primary School was injured during the storm and has been hospitalised at the Lima Regional Hospital. She was injured after a wall collapsed at Riverstown Primary School during the heavy winds and rain on the Essequibo Coast.
On Wednesday evening, President Dr Irfaan Ali visited the teacher in the hospital.
Meanwhile, the ministry said assessments are ongoing and that it is working with regional authorities to prioritise repairs and ensure safe resumption of classes.

Power disruptions
The Guyana Power and Light Inc reported significant damage to its transmission and distribution network across the Essequibo Islands, Essequibo Coast and parts of Demerara. The damage was largely caused by fallen trees, zinc sheets and debris striking power lines.

Earth tremors
In a separate development, residents in several parts of Guyana reported feeling earth tremors following seismic activity in the wider Caribbean and northern South America region.
The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre reported a magnitude 4.1 earthquake at approximately 16:19h near Trinidad and Tobago, at a depth of 13 kilometres. The epicentre was located northwest of Port of Spain.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also recorded a separate 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Venezuela later in the day. No immediate damage reports have been confirmed in Guyana related to the seismic activity.