Valsayn, St Helena victims of 2022 floods 'will bear it' if communities flood again

As the 2023 rainy season builds up, residents of Bamboo Village, Valsayn, Kelly Village, and St Helena are determined to pro-actively prepare for any potential disasters after enduring the devastating floods of 2022.

The haunting memories of the destruction and displacement caused by the previous year's torrential downpours have propelled these communities into action, as they strive to safeguard their homes, livelihoods, and loved ones against the unpredictable forces of nature.

While some plan to take action to mitigate the impact of future calamities, other residents have just decided to “take it as it come.”

None of the residents with whom Sunday Newsday spoke to had any intention of moving. For them, the community has become part of them, as has the flooding.

In 2022, hundreds of residents in these areas were devastated when their homes and property were damaged by flood waters.

But for the 2023 rainy season, locals say they are rallying together and implementing somewhat of a broad strategy to ensure their resilience in the face of any unexpected adversity.

Kamraj Ramgoolie of Madras Road St Helena told Sunday Newsday, “If the master (God) says rain comes and you have to get flood then go with the flow. That’s my story."

Before the meteorological office declared the start of the 2023 rainy season, Ramgoolie said he has been moving smaller items to higher grounds.

“Let me honest with you, we really cannot prepare nothing. Whether we plan or not the water will come up on use suddenly and by the time it reach up it catch us off guard and that’s it. We can’t save anything.

“We still have one or two things downstairs still. To shoot up with those things one time it’s too much. When the water start to raise we will see what we can do.”

Usually, Ramgoolie would use his farm tractor to take supplies around the community when the flooding is bad. But he said it’s engine was damaged in floodwaters some years ago, and it now remains parked under a tarpaulin cover. In the same area, black mould forms between piles of clothes thrown on chairs. Sunday Newsday was told these were damaged in last year’s – and years before – floods, along with several other appliances left around the yard.

“Girl I lost everything in my house last year. My bed, washing machine, stove fridge, just name it cupboard, and carpet everything. The money I got from Social Development (Ministry) it can’t even buy two pounds of nails.

He was able to replace his stove and washing machine less than two months ago.

“My fridge shorting out and the money they gave me cannot buy a fridge. I have to go by the fridge man and see how he can fix it. I can’t even do that right now.”

Every year, when it floods, his property which sits on the bank of a river, is one of the first homes to flood.

There are two make-shift homes in the yard owned by two of his sons. Together, there are 13 people living on the compound.

Ramgoolie's two-storey house is not only the largest in the yard, it is also the only structure with higher grounds. So, it acts as a temporary shelter for all 13 residents when flood waters settle into the other homes. When it floods, the family spends between four and six days marooned until the water subsides.

Asked if he had considered moving, Ramgoolie said, “Where we go really go darling? Where we go go(sic)? And I’m not going up on no hill to live to cave down. I staying on the flat. It's 23 years I’m in this flood thing. It’s not me alone, its everybody around the area face pressure.

“Government go, government come it’s the same story. I just accept the circumstances, I accept where my house is located, if I move where will I go? So when the flood comes, I will ride it through. This is swamp land. There is nothing we can do. When the water climb and reach up it will flow where it wants to flow.”

Ramgoolie said he also understands the effect of climate change, as his childhood village in south that never experienced flooding, is now constantly under water every time it rains.

Kelly Village and St Helena residents told Sunday Newsday they are hoping for the best.

“Sometimes Caroni (area) floods bad, another year St Helena (area) flood bad. Then one time Kelly Village under water. But we just have to wait and see,” Valsayn resident Rajmohan Maharaj said.

Maharaj said he normally isn’t directly affected but his tenant on the ground floor lost everything in last year’s flood.

He has stocked up on food items – enough to last at least four days, or long enough to last until the floodwater subsides.

Tooran Rambaran, business owner of Back Road Bar 24 O, at Nabbie Street Bamboo #2 said his business still hadn't recovered from last year’s flooding.

“If the water comes in here there is nothing we can do. When he had flood here, plenty private people come here and give us plenty handout and food. My business lost thousands. Because I’m living upstairs my building they say nothing for we.”

Rambaran said he installed a pump to get the water out, but with the volume of water from last year, he doesn’t expect it to work this year.

Like Ramgoolie and Maharaj, Rambaran said he hopes the flooding isn’t devastating this season.

“We don’t want no money when the flooding happen. We want them to fix the (river) bank properly. Close up the breach, all of it not some. We want the water to flow in the river, not out of the river into our home and the street.”

Rambaran and his business is on squatting land and when asked if he has ever considered building elsewhere, he said, “Where? Move and go where? Here is where I get my day work. I might get a nice house if I move from here but I won’t get food to eat.

“I could walk down the road and make a living in the tyre business and survive right here in the village. We know how to live here.”

For that reason, Rambaran felt it was best to build, live and stay there, even if it means he has to find creative ways each year to with deal with floodwaters.

Another Nabbie Street resident, whose wooden make-shift home rests on the river bed, said villagers must be realistic.

“We chose to build here, what we expected. I chose to live in this and I’ve found ways to get around it.”

Just outside her back door, a tractor is still in the process of dredging one side of the river. The resident explained that major works started months ago where a large part of the river bank was raised and a floodgate was installed at the end of Rattan Street.

The residents said they are anxious to see if these works will significantly reduce the severity of flooding after heavy rains.