As flood waters subsided in some areas in south Trinidad after Wednesday’s heavy rainfall, residents yesterday feared further flooding could cause disease and infections and wreak further havoc on their lives. Even as many people were washing down mud and debris from their homes yesterday, there were reports of continued flooding in several areas. Priya Rooplal, of Victoria Village, San Fernando, spent yesterday washing away slush from her home after the Cipero River overflowed its banks.
She said after the water receded, her family’s home was filled with mud and potential disease-spreading debris. She added: “We are worried about disease because yesterday a lot of rubbish came down from the river. If you see how much rubbish is still stuck in my fence. All in my plants there is garbage. If rain falls hard again, the river will come up. “This is normal. Once there is a high tide, it comes up really fast. We have been making queries for the longest while and nobody is coming to see it.
“My brother got flooded out three years ago and he had to leave downstairs where he lived. The river is our problem, once that river is fixed, we will not have any problems.” Rooplal said it has been over 25 years that the community had been suffering from heavy flooding and neither the Princes Town Regional Corporation nor central government had done anything. She said she could not go to her San Fernando East MP Patrick Manning because he was ill.
She said only part of her home was cleaned since a pipe-borne water supply was available for only two hours and when she called the Fire Services on Wednesday to assist in washing their home, she was told that there was no water. However, Divisional Fire Officer Ramdeo Boodoo told the T&T Guardian they did not receive any requests for water since Wednesday’s floods. Boodoo said: “We have water. It is limited but as long as people are in distress and they call we will assist as much as we can.
“We knew there was flooding in a lot of areas but nobody called for assistance. In fact, we responded to a rescue situation in Guayaguayare and up to 11 pm last night (Wednesday) we were there. Somebody got marooned in an area due to the floods and we attended to that.” WASA’s corporate communication manager, Ellen Lewis, said there was a pipe-borne water supply in all areas under its current schedule.
She also confirmed the fire station had an adequate supply of water and added that water would have been provided to them if needed. A statement from the Princes Town Regional Corporation said flooding occurred in Tableland, Williamsville and Barrackpore and that the disaster unit was assessing the conditions. Meanwhile, several areas remained under water in Rio Claro as heavy downpours continued yesterday.
Chairman of the Rio Claro/Mayaro Regional Corporation, Hazaree Ramdeen, said up to 9 am yesterday there was over three feet of water in Navet. “It is sunny now but we have some areas still flooded because it has been a long time since we have had this kind of weather. There is still water in some areas, like Navet, but it is improving now because the weather is good and you will find that it will subside eventually,” Ramdeen said.
He said a combination of rivers overflowing their banks, clogged culverts and fallen trees in the rivers was to blame.