RALPH BANWARIE
?Villagers of Matelot and Grande Riviere have been marooned from the rest of Trinidad, after two bridges were washed away and the roadway was left covered by slush, rocks and fallen electricity, cable wires and trees.
Seven houses lost roofs due to high winds while several houses along the coastline were also flooded and villagers had no electricity or water supply.
Affected families told the T&T Guardian yesterday they feared they would have no place to sleep last night as there is no emergency shelter in Grande Riviere for the affected villagers as the Grande Riviere Community Centre, which is used as a shelter, was flooded out.
Toco/Sangre Grande MP, Glenda Jennings-Smith, and councillor, Terry Martin Rondon, were desperately trying to put things in place last evening to help affected villagers find somewhere to sleep.
However, villagers received food supplies and water from the T&T Coast Guard, who accessed the area by sea to take in relief supplies.
Jennings-Smith admitted they could not access Matelot.
"We are unable to get on the ground because of the conditions. We did an aerial view and will be back on Thursday (today) to ensure that work is being done to clear the road and have the bridges replaced so we can visit and speak with the villagers," she said of the attempt to get to Matelot residents.
The disaster, said to be the worst seen in 50 years, hit the villages of Matelot and Grande Riviere after persistent rainfall over the past 24 hours adversely affected the northeast coast.
The T&T Regiment's 1st Engineering Battalion joined the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), Sangre Grande Regional Corporation, Ministry of Works and private contractors to clear landslides and restore road access yesterday but this proved a challenge as work was hampered by huge amount of fallen trees, slush and rocks that covered the road and the lack of electricity as night fell.
The T&T Air Guard conducted aerial surveys to map all affected areas, especially where bridges fell, to provide critical feedback to the Engineering Battalion.
Guardian saw a T&TEC crew busily working to restore power to the community but the water supply remained to be addressed.
The Coast Guard last evening also advised fisherfolk in the region to bring small craft ashore to prevent destruction of their vessels and to take larger vessel to areas of safe shelter.
The disaster struck around 3 am yesterday, when villagers reported experiencing heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightening.
Villager Joy Matthew told the Guardian "the lightning was like Christmas bulbs blinking continuously" and when it stopped she heard loud crashing sounds. She woke her husband and when they looked out they saw the trees come crashing down, taking electricity poles and wires with them and throwing the village into darkness.
Another villager, who only gave her name as Lara, said she lived her 50-plus years in Grande Riviere and it was the first time she had such an awful experience but thanked God no one was injured.
A tree was reported to have fallen on a blind man's home in Matelot but he escaped being hurt. Matelot fishermen also reported boats being sunk in the disaster.
It was impossible to get to Matelot, which was reported to suffer the worst damage. Two bridges to access the community were destroyed. No one could therefore either leave or enter the village.
Chief Engineer, Bridges in the Ministry of Works, Chatram Sooklal, told T&T Guardian that Bailey Bridges had been sourced to provide alternative relief to the community but they have to wait for the roadway to be cleared.
"We cannot move, so this is our problem. But as soon as the roadway is cleared the Bailey Bridges will be taken into Grande Riviere and Matelot and installed in the quickest possible time." Sooklal said.