Oropune residents marooned

VALDEEN SHEARS

Residents looked on as the water slowly rose and flooded out their neighbours’ homes on the lower floors at 6th Avenue, Oropune Gardens, Piarco, yesterday.

The buildings from 238 to 242, including that of the Oropune Police Youth Club and several nearby townhouses remained cut off from the rest of the housing scheme.

Some had built retaining walls in their attempt to avoid the flooding of the past. However, the water rose above even those walls and their homes were once again flooded.

One resident lamented sending his son to school, as there was no way he could get home through the rising flood waters.

Another resident looked on helplessly as water climbed the sides of his vehicle.

Yolande Alleyne, 82, sat outside her upstairs neighbour’s apartment, and watched as the water continued to rise.

“It floods but it never affected us this bad cause we are on an incline. I was downstairs and just feel water gushing in. It done cover my toilet by the time I decided to leave and come upstairs and wait it out to go down. There are also insects or worst floating in the water. I cant’s go back in..my bed under water. Not sure where I sleeping tonight,” lamented the pensioner.

Her next door neighbour, Monica Gordon, sat next to her, shaking her head.

Her apartment, she said, is completely flooded. She left some of her groceries and dishes floating and waded through the water when it was knee high. By 4 pm, two residents could be seen walking through waist-high flood waters.

Even residents on the higher levels were inconvenienced by the rains.

Newsday was told of their bedrooms being flooded by water leaking in through the windows.

“It is all inside, under my bed. And now it coming in through the gallery and under my door. My floors are wood, we have had to drop towels to soak up the water or risk water damage to our floors. But I am watching my neighbours and I feeling real sorry for them cause they suffer this every rainy season.”

On Thursday morning, by 11 the affected area saw residents walking through knee high murky flood waters.