Torrential rainfall over the weekend caused widespread flooding across the country, and residents of Kelly Village/Warrenville are now dealing with the resulting damage, which they believe could have been prevented.
TTT News visited several communities which experienced flooding after Sunday’s heavy rainfall caused rivers to overflow their banks.
The temple of the Shiva Gana Organisation on Mon Plasir Road, Cunupia, was affected for the second consecutive year.
One member, Steven Jaglal, told TTT News about their losses: “Well, we lost a lot of equipment. It’s not always about money. We lost a lot of our sound equipment, a lot of our clothing what we use to do Ramleela. We’re the only group in Trinidad and Tobago that does Krishna Leela and Ramleela and the costumes; we get a lot of damages. We kind of prepared, but it wasn’t enough.”
Having incurred an estimated $190,000 in losses from last year’s flooding, Mr. Jaglal said they estimate similar or greater losses this year.
“Any help that we could get, we will take to help back and put us back on our feet because we were still falling from last year; we catch ourselves a little bit to have everything under control in a sense, and we are on a minus, but we there and then this come and happen.”
Local Government Councillor for Kelly Village/Warrenville, Kamla Phagoo, stated that steps have been taken to mitigate flooding in the area. This work began with drainage cleanup, and so far, six major drains have been cleared, improving water flow.
“This is some remedial work that we have been requesting for a very long time, and I have started since Friday. We would have been dealing with some major blockages on the Warren Monroe Road area. We have been in collaboration efforts with the MP, Miss Vandana Mohit, along with our Minister of Work, Ms. Jearlean John, who act on this so promptly. I was there till three in the morning to ensure that this scope of work was done timely for the burgesses that live within the community.”
The residents of the area commended the efforts of the Councillor and the Member of Parliament, who they say have been accessible and on the ground.
“She’s getting her job done cleaning out drains, so yesterday the floods were not that bad, but before that, years gone by, it was really bad.”
“She came, and she saw it; with her boots, she walked all there. It was flooded – that side of my land, the shed, everything was flood.”
“This woman has been working, even self when she wasn’t in power, she was out here trying to do what she could do. Now that she has the resources, she out here. Watch how you could see the Corporation; you never see a Corporation truck here before, never.”
The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government announced that persons can collect sandbags at their respective City, Borough, and Regional Corporations.