Sangre Grande, Toco, hit by unexpected flooding

Residents of Toco, Sangre Grande and environs were not expecting flooding from the persistent rains which took place overnight on Monday. Many were left stranded following flooding and flash flooding, including one family who were trapped behind seven feet of water.

Niicole Eligon, who lives on Mandilon Road, told Newsday that when she initially attempted to leave for work at 6 am, the water was a few inches high, but she decided to stay home after getting soaked. She took her sister-in-law, Nicole Ali, who lives next door to the grocery at around 9 am, and the water started rising after she returned home.

“By midday, there was over seven feet of water in the yard, with the doorway downstairs covered with water and the full-size water tank almost submerged. We’re about 15 feet from the river here, and the water came from the west to the east over the road, flooded the whole road and then turned back and was running from east to west.

"The Works and Transport Ministry had started a levee last year in the wet season but was unable to complete it, and we had built a wall behind the house but the water came over that.”

Ali said when the water started rising, the family started packing things up and carrying them upstairs but all their appliances were ruined. She said they didn’t realise the water would come up as high as it had, although they had experienced similar flooding in 2018.

“Right now we have no water, no food, we’re just sitting here waiting for the water to go down. It took less than an hour between 11 am-12 pm to reach halfway up the house. I was supposed to work from home starting at noon but had to tell them I wasn’t able to. Nobody could access where we are right now.”

“The government needs to do something about the bridge over the Sangre Chiquito River which was destroyed and it’s blocking the passage of water, so it’s flowing back this way."

Eligon said when the water started rising, she and her sister-in-law called the regional corporation, the ODPM, and the fire service to get assistance in leaving their homes. She said the fire services came but said they did not have the equipment to reach the sisters, and left, while the ODPM told them they had no one to pilot the amphibious vehicles.

Nazir Ali of Adventist Street said the water started to rise around 4 am, ending up around calf height before it stopped rising. He said, normally, flooding occurred around June when the rainy season started.

“We consider this a flash flood, but this is the first time we’re getting this type of water in April like this, so it was surprising. It caught the people here (by surprise). It was unexpected.

"Right now the tide is high, but when it drops around 2 pm the water might subside. Roopsingh Street, Ramdass Street – full of water – all out there in a mess. It might subside around 7, 8 pm.

“The government isn’t doing anything about it. They only come and look at the river here, watching it and going. They’re not dredging, they not cleaning. Now the banks bursting and the roads in the area flooding.”

Other streets which flooded in that area included Picton Street, Good Hope Street, and Michael Street. Residents blocked the road in some areas so that passing vehicles would not force additional water into their houses.

There was also flooding along the Cunapo Southern Main Road, in Grande Riviere, and in Oropouche.

Speaking on i95.5’s noon newscast, Sangre Grande Regional Corporation chairman Anil Juteram said since 4 am they had been bombarded with calls of fallen trees on the Toco Main Road.

"We had to send our backhoe to assist TTEC and Fire Services. The Cunapo Southern Main Road River, what we call the Coalmine River, has spilled over, and we have some surrounding areas that are under severe flooding. People’s houses, businesses, shops have flooded and are filled to capacity with water.”

Toco/Manzanilla councillor Terry Rondon told Newsday there were two landslides in Sans Souci, with residents of George Street being marooned. He said two trees fell in Balandra, making the roadway impassable. He said the Thompson River, Matura River, and the Vega De Oropouche River overflowed their banks. He said thankfully there was no loss of life.