Bermuda has been praised for showing compassion and concern for the victims of deadly flooding in the eastern Caribbean.

Now plans have been made for a unified relief effort to help those affected by the heavy rains and severed flooding in the region of St Lucia, St Vincent and Dominica on Christmas Eve. In St Vincent nine people were killed.

The West Indian Association executive will announce the plans later this week.

Local resident Joshua Richardson, 60, of Pembroke, urged residents to respond to the appeal.

Describing himself as Vincentian “to the bones”, he said: “I think it may be best to channel their funds through the unified effort to ensure that it’s spent in the most needed areas. I’ve been overwhelmed by calls and e-mails. People want to do something and I’m really overwhelmed by the spirit of Bermudians. It shows that Bermudians have a heart, they definitely do. Despite the wranglings when there’s a need Bermudians are always willing to step up to the plate and I am deeply touched by that.”

He appealed to the people of Bermuda to dig deep and give from their hearts.

“For me it’s not about being associated with a group because I’m a Vincentian, I’m a concerned Vincentian and I’m a Vincentian to the bones. And I would like to appeal to Bermudians to do what is right for a people in need.”

Mr Richardson and his wife Yul-Anne have been married for 29 years with two children, both adults, Tristan, 28 and Shakinah 24.

Born on the island Mesopotomia, in St Vincent and the Grenadines, he left his home in 1978 to come to Bermuda.

He spent the night before Christmas anxiously waiting to hear developments as the flooding took place.

“I was actually online with a friend of mine at about 10pm. She said ‘I’d get back to you because I’ve just had a call from a friend of mine saying that the river has changed its course and we have to run from the house’.

“She lives in the same area where I was born and she got the call from someone in the Leeward area,” said Mr Richardson.

“The very first thing that came to my mind was I hope they’re safe because where I was born it was right on the banks of a river and I know how destructive the river could be.

“It wasn’t until two hours later my friend called me back on Skype and she said a house just collapsed and five family members got killed. What happened is quite a number of rivers changed course and rushed through neighbourhoods taking out everything in its path.”

At last check he said three people were still missing with nine dead. Knowing what it’s like to lose a loved one he has been calling local radio stations at home ever since.

“I call the talk shows there just like I do here in Bermuda. Folks have been very good, we’ve been getting support from all over the world,” said Mr Richardson.

He noted that the “Government has offered to cover the funeral expenses for all nine victims”.

“Funerals there could run you, a reasonable funeral, would run you somewhere in the region of $7,000. The Government has offered $5,000 and the funeral homes offered to put up the rest.

“The Government has also offered to replace all kitchen appliances and other essentials. There’s no dissension, it doesn’t matter if you’re refrigerator was 20-years-old the Government is going to replace that.

“This morning I heard the Prime Minister say they will also be replacing laptop computers,” he added.

“My personal concern is post traumatic stress syndrome. Just think, one little girl for example, she was able to escape from the house but five of her family members are dead. She has to deal with that at the young age of six or seven and it’s not just her.

“I listened to people involved in the recovery efforts. One guy just couldn’t talk, he was all to pieces — all he was doing was helping to clear the rubble.”