Regional corporations: Help is coming

WHILE Tobago suffered great havoc with the passing of tropical storm Karen, residents of Diego Martin yesterday thanked God they were not as badly impacted on Sunday.

When Newsday visited several locations in Diego Martin, there was no debris on the roads and the watercourses barely had water flowing through them.

Kevin Vincent, disaster coordinator for the Diego Martin Regional Corporation disaster management unit, said while there were numerous of reports of landslides and flooding in various locations, none were severe, with the exception of one major landslide at West Ridge Villas, Diego Martin.

He said there were some areas where trees fell and blocked roads, but those were immediately dealt.

“This morning (Monday) we are going to do some site visits because we have a number of calls for areas in St James. I want to encourage residents to seek their own interest and be prepared because the rain will come again.”

Susan Hong, chairman of the corporation, urged residents to hold on because help is coming their way.

“I know people would have a lot of concerns right now because there are a few residents affected. I want to tell them hold some strain, we would get to them.

“We need to deal with the bigger matters first, but those who might have had water in their homes and small landslides, we will get to them.”

Hong said the desilting of watercourses programme earlier this year, spared Diego Martin from being flooded out.

She said anyone who lives in Diego Martin knows what happens when the big river bursts its bank.

“If nothing was done, flooding in Diego Martin would have been worse. I kept thanking God because I know it could have been a lot worse than what we have experienced on Sunday.

“I thank all the departments which helped with this situation. Even the big river did not burst its banks. I am so grateful for that.”

Richard Walcott vice chairman of the San Juan/ Laventille Regional Corporation, said residents from Santa Cruz and San Juan were badly impacted.

He said residents from Baines Avenue and in La Canoa, Santa Cruz were also badly affected by flooding and lost everything in their homes.

“There were about three landslips. Two of those reports were about landslips that came down on two houses. There were no casualties. It is really bad up there. Roads have also been damaged. Our crew is here now cleaning landslips and helping residents in their homes.”

Walcott said he wanted to assure affected residents that the corporation’s disaster management teams are on the field and would get to every home to do assessments. He said the corporation has three teams in Beetham Gardens, Baines Avenue and Mt Lambert.