Candidates at Calvary Hill after rain brings down house

Torrential rain on Friday night into Saturday morning was the final straw that broke the camel’s back for Michael Reyes, 64.

His home at Calvary Hill, Arima came crashing down on Saturday morning.

Reyes said he narrowly escaped with his life, thanks to intuition or divine providence.

“Around 7.26 this morning, I felt something wrong here. Don’t know what it was.

"Then I felt a piece of wood hit me on my back. I told my friend, who was also in the house, that something was wrong.

"Before you know it, we heard the noises coming from the house and he (his friend) dive out the window. I also dive through the window. I would have died inside there.

"One thing is for sure, I pray every day and night. I doh make joke with that.”

At the site of the collapsed house later on Saturday morning were Arima mayor Lisa Morris-Julian, councillor for the area Jeneice Scott, UNC and Arima candidates in Monday’s general election, Flora Singh (UNC)and Penelope Beckles-Robinson (PNM).

Both Beckles-Robinson and Singh said they were working with government agencies to help Reyes.

Morris-Julian said,”We are familiar with the situation of Mr Reyes since a couple months ago with the first set of downpours. We went to (the National Commission for) Self-Help in order to obtain some aid.

"We tried to get him to stay with relatives, but he was reluctant, although they were willing to accommodate him.

"At this juncture, we are just trying to get temporary accommodation for Mr Reyes.”

Despite his predicament, Reyes was periodically in high spirits. With his pet parrot Caw Caw on his shoulder, he said. “I don’t know where I would stay right now. Lisa is looking for somewhere for me.”

As neighbours gathered to help, the borough corporation's Disaster Management Unit brought a mattress for Reyes.