Claxton Bay man's home flattened by weekend storm

KENNY "Harry" Koat, 55, is appealing for the public's assistance in rebuilding his Matura Street, Sookoo Trace, Claxton Bay home which collapsed after a battering by strong winds and heavy showers over the weekend while the country was under a Yellow Level adverse weather alert.

The humble two-bedroom wooden structure Koat called home sweet home for the past 30 years gave way and was reduced to a pile of rubble. He said that over the past three decades, the house weathered storms and winds with all he had to do was maybe replace a galvanise sheet or two.

But the thunder shower on Friday proved too much for the house which collapsed, exposing all of Koat's possessions to the elements. No one was in the house at the time.

His 29-year-old niece Victoria Harry, who lives next door, was at a friend's home within the neighbourhood and actually heard the loud crashing sound as her uncle's house gave way at 8 pm. Rushing to investigate, Harry said she felt faint when she saw what remained of the house.

"As I was running to the house, I thought it was probably just some galvanise or something that was gone. I didn't know it the entire house was flattened. I got really scared 'cause, I mean, he's my uncle. I just felt really sad and we thought he was inside there," Harry said.

Harry and her sister got into contact with Koat and gave him the bad news. Since Friday, Koat said he has been sleeping on a couch on the ground under her niece's home. He said sleep is now a luxury to him as he worries about what could happen if he closes his eyes too long.

"I does worry about bandits who roam the area tiefing people gas tank and all kinda thing."

Koat says he wants to rebuild but has been unable to work as he has been dealing with health issues for the past year. He does not know where or how he can source material to rebuild his home. "Yeah, me ain't have nothing to start (rebuilding) with yuh know."

He worked as a fisherman for 15 years in Claxton Bay, but now relies on minor odd jobs to support himself due to his health complications. When Newsday visited on Sunday afternoon, Koat said he had not received any assistance from any state agencies.

Couva Tabaquite Talparo Regional Corporation chairman Ryan Rampersad told Newsday the head of the corporation's disaster management unit was expected to pay Koat a visit later on Sunday. In the first instance, he said they would enquire if Koat is comfortable with his temporary living arrangements and, if he isn't and does not have anywhere else to go, a shelter would be activated at a community centre.

"We always give them the option of staying where they are comfortable first."

Rampersad said a technical team will visit Koat on Monday to try and ascertain what caused the collapse and see if anything can be done to assist him to rebuild.

"We can easily and quickly get a Self Help grant for this gentleman as an emergency measure and get material for him to rebuild. But we won't recommend rebuilding if the soil is unstable which is why a technical team will be sent to investigate," Rampersad said.

Anyone willing to assist Koat can do so by reaching out to his niece Elizabeth Samuel at 471-0914.