An Orange Grove farmer was forced to use innovative ways to get to his land on Thursday morning. He boarded a rubber dinghy and paddled his way across flood waters to access his farm lands at the Orange Grove Estate. Days of flood waters continue to flow from the adjacent Caroni River onto the farming lands.
This is the fourth time for the year that the farmer along with 25 others have had their crops destroyed by flood waters.
Speaking with the Guardian Media, farmer Raju Ramjit said farmers came out as usual to tend to their crops despite lands being under water.
Ramjit said the sluice gate is damaged. He added that he believes the water is coming in from the sluice gate from the Caroni River into their leased farm lands.
Several weeks ago Ramjit and other farmers highlighted their concerns with Guardian Media. They have been calling for a temporary solution until something permanent can be done.
"The sluice gate is not opened but the breach is causing the water to flow in from the river. The Caroni River is rising and the water is coming in and we are bracing for severe flooding again. We have had so many losses already," Ramjit said.
Ramjit said that recently two men were seen in the area claiming to be from the Ministry of Works' Engineering Division but added that no remedial works have begun.
On November 6, a group of the 26 Orange Grove farmers during a tour of the area said they were still counting their losses from recent floods. They have been hit by three major flooding events for this year so far.