Up to late last night chairman of the Tunapuna Regional Corporation, Paul Leacock, was distributing hampers to affected residents at Oropune Gardens in Piarco.
For most of the day yesterday, most parts of the Housing Development Corporations’s (HDC) development there was under several metres of flood waters. About 100 homes were affected.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian last evening, Leacock said the flooding there seemed to have been caused by a malfunctioning water pump.
“It has a very large retention pond and with the apparent malfunction it made it difficult to pump out the water as it was backing up.”
He also disclosed that up to late last night workers front the corporation were still trying to remove fallen trees throughout the region, including Lopinot, Caura and St Joseph.
“A lot of people had their roofs blown away and we will be assisting in repairs today with help from the T&T Defence Force’s soldiers. Immediate relief such as tarpaulins were given out,” Leacock said.
He added that food hampers were sponsored by Xtra Foods Supermarket in Arima to aid affected residents at Oropune Gardens.
Meanwhile, several roofs were blown off by high winds and there was flooding in Sangre Grande and environs, leaving scores of people marooned in their homes and major roadways cut off to motorists.
But people who either lost roofs or were flooded out were placed in shelters and food and basic supplies were provided to them through the emergency relief efforts of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation.
SGRC chairman Terry Rondon said a total of 25 houses had their roofs blown off across the region.
At Valencia a family of 15, including five children, got the shock of their lives when their roof went flying.
Godfrey Sandy, a senior citizen in the household, told T&T Guardian he was watching television in the living room at 8 pm when he heard a “ripping” sound and when he looked up he saw the sky as his roof was gone. “I was a bit confused and shouted to others the storm is here. My children came to me and said relax,” he said.
However, the children who were awake began to scream and had to be consoled by their parents and grand mother. The family later went to relatives to spend the night, but Sandy said they were left traumatised.
The flooding caused many residents to stay indoors and call in emergencies at their workplaces.
Some residents said they lost all their furniture and appliances in the flood waters.
Rondon said this was the worst flooding he had seen in Sangre Grande and put some blame on contractors who are developing lands for housing.
“We have cleared most of the water courses in the region, but several housing projects are going up in Sangre Grande and development of the land results in the blocking of some water courses,” he said.
Tarpaulins were given to some home owners who lost roofs and food, water and blankets were distributed to those in shelters.
Rondon thanked God that Matelot, Grand Riviere and Toco were spared.
There were some hiccups early on though as councillors complained that resources for those affected, including sandbags, were not readily available. But after an emergency meeting between the SGRC and the ODPM reps the problems were addressed.
However, water continued to rise in Sangre Grande up to last evening and people were fearful that when the tide rose they would have to brace for more flooding.
President Agricultural Society of T&T Dhano Sookoo also expressed concern for farmers, noting thousands of dollars in crops will be lost to the flooding.
“What we will see happening over the weeks is a rise in the cost of market produce that will affect all householders in Trinidad and Tobago,” she said.
RALPH BANWARIE