Latest update April 12th, 2026 12:50 AM
Berbice freak storm caused major damage to GPL‘s infrastructure
Sunday’s freak storm in the Upper Corentyne uprooted 19 poles, the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) said yesterday.
As a result, GPL sustained major damage to its primary and secondary networks with customers experiencing outages as emergency crews effected repairs to the network.
GPL crews conducting repairs Monday in Yakusari, Black Bush Polder.
However, the faults were rectified and power restored by 21:00 hrs on Tuesday.
According to GPL, while the major effect of the stormy weather was the uprooting and breaking of both primary and secondary poles, the network was also affected by roof sheets, and in one case at Tain, a section flew into the lines causing damage.
In total, after the storm passed, 19 primary poles were uprooted, with numerous left leaning and three secondary poles down.
GPL said that major damages also occurred in the Black Bush Polder community where 10 primary poles had to be replanted and reinforced.
Restoration of power to this area began at 02:30hrs and was completed by 10:30hrs on Tuesday.
The power company also said yesterday that crews are currently engaged in mopping up operations and addressing isolated cases where individual consumers may have had service interruption caused by the high winds.
Sunday’s sudden high winds and rain in the Upper Corentyne, Berbice area, was one of the worst that residents have seen in years.
The hour long storm ripped the roof off several homes in especially Yakusari, Black Bush Polder. A number of homes, some unoccupied, also came down.
In one case, two children barely escaped after their home came crashing down from the pillars. Unfortunately, the family’s goat was not so fortunate and was crushed.
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