Floods strand homeowners in Palo Seco after night of rain

Overnight rain in Palo Seco and environs caused several houses to flood on Friday, marooning some people for hours.

There were no reports of damage to structures, but some residents said many household items became water-soaked and would have to be thrown away.

The Baptiste family of SS Erin Road near Los Charros junction said, from around 10 pm, they saw water in the yard. Within 30 minutes, water began seeping inside the ground floor of the wooden two-storey house.

Daryl Baptiste, 28, told Newsday that a nearby river burst its banks, and water began flowing into the house.

"The entire downstairs soaked. The water wet the beds, the chair sets. Flood water went into base of the washing machine, but we put it on top of some carib (beer) case to save it. Everybody downstairs had to go upstairs," he said.

Six people, including his grandfather Knolly Baptiste, 92, and three children, live downstairs. Four people, including two children, live upstairs.

"My mother sells plants, and some went with the water. We have to wait for the water to go down. It has been a while since we got that type of flooding so fast," Baptiste said.

The Met Office has put the country on a yellow-level adverse weather alert until Saturday.

At Beach Road, water surrounded a small wooden house, with a man and woman marooned since Thursday night.

The couple, who did not want to give their names, said owing to the holiday on Thursday, they did not "stock up" for a potential flood as they normally do.

"We normally stock up for the rainy season. We were not expecting this today, plus because of yesterday, we did not have the option to stock up," the woman said while inside.

"The rain started falling since 8 pm (on Thursday). It stopped then started back falling this morning. It is normal for here to flood. If the rain stops, the water would go down by night. Sometimes the water level is higher than this. There is a river to the back of the house. "

The man, who appeared to be in his 40s, said the water tank in the yard fell. The couple have no potable water inside, he said.

They were unsure of their next move, awaiting help from the authorities.

Flash flooding also affected several people.

Palo Seco councillor Dana O’Neil-Gervais told Newsday she visited several affected burgesses.

She also distributed cleaning products and other items.

She also shared information with the disaster management unit of the Siparia Regional Corporation.