More than 200 families suffered over $3 million in losses during Monday’s flood that left residents and commuters marooned in several areas of the country.
The figures are based on assessments done by four regional corporations including Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Princes Town, Siparia and Mayaro-Rio Claro.
Some of the hardest-hit areas which saw water reaching as high as five feet in some communities fell within the Princes Town Regional Corporation (PTRC).
In Hardbagain, Williamsville, one of the areas inundated with floodwaters, Anthony Walkes was swept away by raging floodwaters on Monday. Walkes’ body was retrieved from the river at Halls Trace on Wednesday.
PTRC’s chairman Gowrie Roopnarine said it was one of the worst floods in recent times. He blamed the flooding, particularly in the Hardbagain area, on poor maintenance of the rivers.
Roopnarine said the corporation distributed mattresses and food hampers to those affected. He said they would be submitting claims for disaster relief grants on behalf of the affected residents to the Ministry of Social Development.
Some of the other affected areas, he said, were Reform Village and Barrackpore.
Roopnarine said about 100 people there were affected and would have incurred roughly $2 million in losses.
Within the Couva/Talparo/Tabaquite area, several communities in Claxton Bay and Gasparillo were transformed into a lake.
One resident Adrian Williams of Baron Avenue, Lumsden Street, Gasparillo, said floodwaters rose to four feet inside his home. He said this was the worst flooding he has experienced in that area and blamed it on a clogged river.
“The river needs cleaning. It needs to dredge. There is garbage, mud and slush in the river. As a child, I use to bath in the river but you can’t do that now because it has bamboo and debris.”
Williams who lives with his wife and two young sons said he lost the majority of his household articles, including his appliances and furniture. He is hoping to get compensation from the Government.
It is estimated that 81 households were affected in Gasparillo and suffered $1,073,800 in losses.
Within the Siparia Regional Corporation, an estimated 30 households were affected in the Pluck Road, Palo Seco and Icacos area.
Based on the corporation’s assessment, residents would have sustained approximately $200,000 in losses.
Meanwhile, in the Mayaro-Rio Claro Regional Corporation 28 families were flooded out , but the corporation did not provide an estimation of the total sum of losses suffered by residents.
Within the Penal-Debe Regional Corporation, residents would usually experience severe flooding but this was not the case on Monday.
Only about ten households were affected and, according to Corporation chairman Dr Allan Sammy residents suffered little or no losses.
The Ministry offers a $10,000 disaster relief grant for household items including refrigerator, stove, bed, living room set, dining room set, chest of drawers, washing machine, wardrobe and kitchen cupboard.