Army called in to evacuate marooned residents in Penal/Debe

File photo
File photo

AS the MET office warns the country to brace for more bad weather, members of the TT Defence Force have been summoned to the Penal/Debe area to evacuate families who are under chest high water in some areas.

The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government said all 14 regional corporations have been affected by the bad weather but Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) was the worse affected.

Flood waters across Lallbeharry Trace, Debe on Thursday, November 15, 2018.
PHOTO BY ANIL RAMPERSAD.

Chairman of the PDRC Dr Allen Sammy told Newsday, this morning, there appears to be a total wipeout in some areas. He said 12 hours of constant rainfall between Thursday into Friday morning has caused all of the rivers to overflow their banks and left the community under stress.

He said water from Princes Town have also run off into the lower lying Barrackpore area causing the water levels to rise throughout the region including Woodland where people started evacuating since Thursday. He said people are marooned in their homes and the roads are impassable. Schools have been closed, including some which are under water and businesses have been impacted.

Flood waters along Batchia Village, Penal on the SS Erin Road.
PHOTO BY ANIL RAMPERSAD.

Sammy said as people come to terms with the situation there have been numerous requests for evacuation, but only large trucks and vehicles can enter the terrain to assist. He said this is the reason why they have sought the help of the army. He said there have been requests for sandbags but they cannot get into areas to distribute same. He said the Penal/Quinam Government Primary school was activated as a centre and one family was moved there on Thursday.

“It is a terrible situation, one which residents face year after year, but we are a resilient people.”

Flood waters along Batchia Village, Penal on the SS Erin Road.
PHOTO BY ANIL RAMPERSAD.

Sammy said what is unfortunate is that the same people who were affected by the Divali floods in 2017 are again experiencing the trauma of their homes being flooded out. In addition, he said, thousands affected last year and are still waiting on relief promised by Government.

Rising waters in Debe as heavy rain continues to fall.
PHOTO BY ANIL RAMPERSAD.

The chairman said in all fairness to Government, work was done by the Ministries of Works and Agriculture as well as by the corporation, to clear water courses in preparation for the rainy season. “But the sheer volume of water posed a major challenge.”

Flood waters at Debe Trace, Debe.
PHOTO BY ANIL RAMPERSAD.

Newsday also spoke to a resident in Ramai Trace and Congo Village who said the experienced two-feet high water in their homes, but this morning it was subsiding. At Penal Rock Road, and Suchit Trace, however, there were reports that the water was rapidly rising.

Comments

"Army called in to evacuate marooned residents in Penal/Debe"

More in this section