Flooding in Penal/Debe

Heavy rainfall caused street/flash and residential flooding on Monday in several parts of Penal, Debe and Barrackpore, and other areas of the country.

Part of Lalbeharry Trace near Papourie Road in Debe was impassable. Some drivers waited for the water to subside while others took another route.

Livestock farmer Nathaniel Mungal, who lives nearby, said floodwater rose to knee-high within three hours from midmorning to midday.

The water entered his son’s home next door and damaged household items. Mungal’s son Anand Mungal, 20, was not home when Newsday visited.

Mungal said, "Right now, two fridges are floating inside the kitchen. The two wardrobes, the space saver – everything is water-soaked.

"We have a room with items we sell, like shampoo, conditioner and soaps. We lost what was in that room."

He said he used to run a mini-mart at the side of his son’s home, but closed it after a similar flood about two years ago.

"I lost over $50,000 in that flood. It was a little higher than this. I never get compensated.

"I mind animals like pigs, ducks, and chickens. Right now, the pigs are making a lot of noise for food. But I cannot go through that floodwater to go and get feed for them. They have to wait."

At Debe Trace, parts of the SS Erin Road were also flooded.

A summary of incidents reported as of 3 pm on Monday by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) said there were overall six incidents reported in the southwest region. There were street and residential flooding in Penal and Debe.

In the south-central region, the ODPM said high winds damaged eight houses at Pharaoh Avenue in Ste Madeleine during thunderstorms on Sunday.

The roofs of three of the houses have been repaired. The five others were severely affected.

Tarpaulins and other relief supplies, the ODPM said, are to be distributed based on a needs assessment.

Representatives from the Princes Town Regional Corporation's disaster management unit and the National Commission for Self Help met affected residents.

No incidents were reported in the north-central region, east region, or Tobago.