Islands laid waste by Beryl survey devastating cost

From the outside, it looks like a typical primary school in the multi-island Caribbean nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), with children's voices echoing behind the distinctive green walls.

- Natricia Duncan KINGSTOWN

But inside, washing lines sag with the weight of towels and clothes, and there are people of all ages: a baby frets on her mother's hip, children squeal as they chase each other, teens play basketball, and elderly people sit chatting.

This school in the district of Calliaqua is one of 20 on the country's mainland, St Vincent, which were converted into shelters as Hurricane Beryl, a category 4 storm, tore through the region in early July with winds up to 190km/h.

Some of the 30 people at this shelter arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs. During the hurricane, many had spent hours hiding under beds or staircases as Beryl ripped off their doors and dismantled their roofs.

Seven weeks on, nature has calmed down. But many in the shelters remain trapped in the horror of the storm.

"A lot of people are traumatised," said the shelter manager, Josel Matthews. Some survivors refused to eat for days, staring off into space or breaking into sobs, she said. Some are now working with counsellors.