kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
Shanti Sooknanan was supposed to celebrate her 60th birthday with prayers at a family gathering. Instead, by 2 pm yesterday, the grandmother was wading through the flooded Pluck Road in Woodland, to seek refuge at a relative’s home.
Sooknanan was among hundreds of people in Penal, Debe, Siparia and Barrackpore, affected by heavy rains and floods from Wednesday morning into yesterday. The Disaster Management Unit (DMU) of the Penal-Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) said there were 191 reports of flooding at 4 pm and their phone lines were still busy. Isolated showers are expected today.
Sooknanan said her kitchen and toilet were flooded and there was nothing her family could do.
“The water keeps on rising. We have not checked anything as yet so we don’t know what was damaged. Some (of us) slept upstairs, some slept downstairs. I can’t do anything so I am going up the road,” she said.
Vishnu Mungal’s home was under two feet of water from 2 pm on Wednesday. Furniture and appliances on the ground floor of his house were waterlogged and he said based on past experiences it might take a week before the water subsides.
Food crop farmer Krishwatee Khan is expecting a bleak Christmas as all the produce at the back of her house was submerged in floodwater.
“The flood took everything that I earned for the Christmas. I lived there for more than 40 years and this is the worst I’ve seen. Right now I have ochroes bearings, I have pigeon peas, sorrel and everything gone. I grow a lot of bhagi. I have nothing for Christmas, everything is out,” she said.
Khan’s neighbour Riaz Khan left his wife and two sons at home to purchase bottled water and food. A scaffolder with Damus, he said he cannot return to work until he is sure his family is safe.
Although flooding is common in the community, residents said this time was worse than before.
Chairman of the Penal/Debe Regional Dr Allen Sammy said residents who needed to be evacuated were being attended to first. The Corporation’s Disaster Management Unit is distributing sandbags and councillors were sharing food donated by KFC and Subway.
“We will have 15 gangs of 10 people comprising of Cepep and health workers to go to different homes to help with cleaning,” Sammy said.
The SS Erin Road between Penal and Debe was a traffic nightmare. When motorists tried alternative routes, they found the water levels even higher. In Woodland, one motorist driving to Point Fortin missed his day’s work after his car stalled in the water.
People wishing to donate to the flood victims can drop off supplies at the Penal-Debe Regional Corporation, SS Erin Road, Debe, or call the Disaster Management Unit at 647-2975 or 800-PDRC. Items needed include water, cleaning supplies, feminine products, mattresses and food items.