St Augustine, Valsayn hit hard by floods

GOVERNMENT officials say a man who went missing after driving into floodwater in St Augustine was eventually found at home, safe and sound.

The man was seen in a viral video on the hood of his SUV in floodwater on Trantrill Road.

But by the time authorities were able to mobilise and respond, the man was nowhere to be seen.

This led to an intense search involving dozens of officials from search-and-rescue teams, off-road monster trucks, TT Fire Service, TT Police Service, expert reptile handlers, volunteer boat owners, ambulance and the Tunapuna Piarco Regional Corporation.

Fire officers used a drone to locate the SUV and also found two other vehicles had been washed away in the floodwater nearby.

They were able to account for the owners of the other two vehicles but could not say what had happened to the SUV’s owner.

The SUV was washed off the road, and came to rest in the flooded nearby rice fields submerged in almost four feet of water.

Fire officers used a dinghy to get to the SUV and dove into the water to remove the licence plate so police and licensing officials could track down the owner.

In the meanwhile, they continued searching the flooded rice fields and reptile-infested floodwater for the man.

The monster trucks drove into the water with the remaining volunteers to continue their search, and tow one of the cars out of the water.

The search was eventually called off when authorities found out the man was safely home, as he had abandoned the car and swam to safety hours earlier before being picked up at the side of the Southern Main Road.

Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen said the man was found at home at around 4.30 pm.

Public warned: Avoid floodwater

In a statement, Ameen expressed relief the man was unharmed and warned people against trying to drive through floodwater.

She described the entire incident as “crazy.” Tour boat operator and volunteer search-and-rescue official Navin Kalpoo issued a similar warning.

He noted the worst-case scenario in similar incidents could be death.

“If you see water levels so high try not to go through it. Turn around! You don’t want to put yourself and your family at risk.”

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) on its Whatsapp channel issued several river-level advisories and noted a yellow-level riverine flood alert was in effect until 10 am on June 14.

“Water levels along Caroni River near El Carmen and sections of the South Oropouche River remain elevated but are steadily decreasing.”

It added no significant rainfall is expected on June 14 which should lead to a gradual improvement of conditions.

Despite the anticipated improvement, the ODPM said, “Riverine flooding still affects some areas owing to earlier overtopping, and continues to pose a severe risk to public safety, livelihoods and property, especially near affected riverbanks.”

Ameen also thanked volunteers and kind-hearted citizens who provided meals and other forms of support to residents affected by the flooding as some communities had been left marooned.

She encouraged the public to donate items to support clean-up and recovery efforts.

“Items such as cleaning supplies, mops, brooms, food items and cooked meals are especially helpful.”

She said citizens wishing to contribute could contact the respective disaster mangers at the municipal corporations.

Communities dealing with floods in their "own way"

Residents of nearby Spring Village and Valsayn South were among the hardest hit after the Caroni River burst its banks.

The runoff from the raging floodwater settled further north in both communities, but children’s laughter as they played in the floodwater, coupled with the smell of a pot of curried chicken cooking on the back of a one-ton truck, concealed a deeper pain facing Spring Village residents.

While standing on a van to get through the floodwater to deliver food to families, Councillor Richard Rampersad told Newsday he believe the reality would only set in for some when the clean-up efforts began.

The group of men cooking on the truck, with a bottle of alcohol and several cups scattered on the truck’s tray, said they were passing the time "the best way possible" as they could not re-enter their homes.

“We can’t cook home because it have water all in the house and people stove not working,” a man said matter-of-factly.

“So we just dealing with it it our own way and making sure people have something to eat. A little rice and curried chicken and some chow from the pommerac, plum and mango trees around here.”

As the water lazily rippled against the windows of a house, Rampersad said people could only see water in their houses now, but when it receded, they would see their true losses.

“When it recedes it is more visible for people to make an assessment of the extent of the damage.

“During the flood we have certain limitations and parameters, but when it goes away, we can navigate the damage with a clearer indication and picture of what it really is.”

Children in the village used doors as rafts and brooms as paddles as they glided through the water in fits of giggles, as the truck motored on through the water.

The rafts came in handy when the truck was not able to go any further, and were used to deliver the food to the families in nearby streets.

Valsayn resident: God is a Trini

The mood, meanwhile, in Real Spring Gardens, Valsayn South was significantly more subdued with some multi-million dollar homes destroyed.

Some residents refused to speak with the media or to be photographed as the water lapped against the walls of their homes.

A resident, who allowed Newsday to park in her yard, said she had been spared any serious damage but was concerned about her neighbours.

“There are a lot of elderly people in this community who could potentially be trapped.”

She said although the area had experienced flooding in the past, she was worried as it was the first time she had seen water levels rise so rapidly.

“The rain wasn’t even that terrible in our area and it hasn’t even rained heavily since about 6 pm on Thursday (June 12) and look at the situation.

“We’ve been told a sluice gate will be installed but it hasn’t been done yet so we are hoping it will be done soon because this is just the beginning of the rainy season.”

She said despite the danger, she had no intention of abandoning her home.

“I am moving my cars and I installed two flood gates by my doors, so I’ll be sticking it out until I have no choice but to leave.

“But we should be fine. God is a Trini!”