Hundreds of students could not go out for the opening of the new school term in Palo Seco yesterday, after what residents described as a “scary storm” left them stranded in their homes.
Residents said some three hours of strong winds, thunder and heavy rains brought flood waters as high as six feet, cutting off several communities between Santa Flora and La Bajos.
The sun was scorching around noon when pensioner Earline Harrison bravely waded through waters that overspilled from the Erin River to get to her home at No 4 Ext Road but her neighbours further down could not risk the chance as the bridge and drains were covered in the swollen river.
The Palo Seco Secondary School was suspended around 11 am as the river flanking it had overflowed onto the property. Some students had to wander around the town as they were unable to get home. The popular Palo Seco Velodrome, where many sporting stars developed their skills, was transformed into a lake.
The Disaster Management Unit was seen meeting with residents but for many others the media was the first on the scene to see their plight.
Ministry of Works and Transport employee, Caius Alphonso, sat in his yard for hours unable to reach to work since his car could not even leave his yard. He said while floods were common in his community, this was one of the worst he had seen.
An excavator, almost fully submerged at the river’s bank, was evidence that desilting of the river was ongoing but according to chairman of community group People for Progress, Victor Roberts, it came a little too late.
Roberts, who led the media on a tour of the community, said authorities failed to clear the watercourses during the dry season when it would have been easier. He said residents have been pleading for years for the river to be widened but it fell on deaf ears. He blamed the floods on a lack of preparation and the narrow river mouth near the Columbus Channel.
He said about 3,000 people were affected among the communities and said he was holding MP Nicole Olivierre to her promise two weeks ago that she would ensure all Government agencies in the area performed their role.
He said the local government representatives were failing the communities, especially since they knew the drainage could not handle the water capacity.
The result of the flood was chaotic for Marvin Maloney and his family, as an adjoining river dumped two feet of water into his house. He said he had never seen the river cleaned before and now his living room set, stove, refrigerator, stereo and other appliances were all damaged.
He said a snake, rats and cockroaches had been seen in his yard and other residents were fearful that if the rains returned it would wreak further havoc.
He explained: “I left home this morning to drop my two children to school around 8 o’clock. By the time I was dropping off my second youth, I got a call saying water, flood. There are always floods in this area but it is the first time it came inside and from just a few hours of rain.”
Chairman: Combination of problems
Chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation, Leo Doodnath, said a combination of problems led to yesterday’s flooding. He said both the corporation, which is responsible for clearing minor water courses and the Ministry of Works and Transport, which cleans the major rivers. were strapped for cash and labour.
He said watercourses were cleared during the dry season but such projects needed to be done alongside the ministry’s schedule.
He said people were also still dumping old airconditioning units, refrigerators and tyres in the watercourses, causing the rivers to dam. He said people were also cutting lands on the hillside indiscriminately.
However, Doodnath said the corporation would continue to clear the watercourses and has also set up an alleviation of flooding committee, comprising governmental and non-governmental agencies, with the view to create a manual that would help citizens to mitigate flooding.