Heavy rains have caused part of the Upper San Fabien Road in Gasparillo to cave-in causing an electricity pole and a tree to collapse on top of a house.
The landslip was so severe that only one side of the road is now passable. Land behind the home of a resident known only as Lall also slid down, causing a tree to fall.
When Guardian Media visited the scene earlier today, Lall was not at home having gone to seek help to save his house. The walls of the wooden house had caved in and items inside appeared to have been smashed by the force of the tree on the roof. An electricity pole on the side of the eroded road was also in danger of falling down.
Resident Patricia Williams said if the road becomes totally impassable more than 100 houses will be completely cut off.
"This is the second time that the road has caved, leaving residents stranded. In 2011, the road higher up the hill collapsed and about 15 families had to be relocated. The road was never fixed. This time the landslip is even more severe. If that road caves then there will be about 200 to 300 people affected with no access," Williams said.
Resident Wendy Modeste said she too was worried about school children who pass with a maxi-taxi every day to and from school.
"The maxi can barely pass there. Many people have left their vehicles at home because it is a risk," Modeste said.
A maxi taxi driver passes along what is now a tricky journey on the San Fabien Road earlier today. The roadway is now compromised after it caved in following the weekend’s rains.
Rishi Ragoonath
Resident Marsha Daniel said under her home was also eroding because of the landslip.
The residents said they have called MP Dr Suruj Rambachan for help but were told he could not assist. Rambachan said there were many landslides in his constituency and he spent all of Tuesday visiting affected residents.
Contacted for comment, chairman of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation Henry Awong said the San Fabien Road falls under the jurisdiction of the corporation.
"We need to get engineers to go to the area and do an assessment. We will refer the report to the Ministry of Social Development to get some assistance for Mr Lall," Awong said.
Regarding the landslip, Awong said the corporation was awaiting releases.
"We will look at it as a priority project and the engineers will do an assessment. In the meantime we will do what we can to provide temporary relief for people to get in and out," Awong said.
He also said there were landslips at Parforce Road, Samlalsingh Road and at Caratal Road which were also affected by landslips.