Emergency aid and assistance had to be provided to an elderly couple trapped by floodwaters along the Caroni South Bank road on Thursday. While the couple refused to leave their house even as floodwaters rose, villagers remained vigilant, ensuring that their lives were not placed in danger.
When Guardian Media visited the area, which was one of the worst impacted by flooding, shortly after midday, the street on which 68-year-old Zaniffa and her 75-year-old husband Zainudeen Gyan reside was completely under water and barely passable by a van.
Shortly after Guardian Media arrived at the location to assess the extent of flooding, villager Reevon Laltoo, along with other young men, also arrived on the scene.
While it was risky to wade through the almost knee-high water littered with debris, the young men still persevered to access the elderly couple’s home that had been surrounded by rapidly increasing floodwaters.
According to Laltoo, if the bold steps were not taken, the elderly man and woman could have been stranded without critical aid for an extended period.
He stated, “We come to just give them a little hand we bring the truck to get them out because the water now start to rise as time progresses, the safer thing is to get everyone out.”
Laltoo, who led rescue efforts, said they planned to return with a boat to either take the pensioners to safety or provide them with food and other supplies. He and other youngsters in the area said they stood ready to lend a helping hand to those impacted by recent flooding in Las Lomas.
But while relief was reaching some, those along El Carmen Number 5, St Helena, felt forgotten.
Soomatie Maharaj said, “The water start to rise this morning and look from this morning to now we expecting it to come in the gallery, last time it reach inside. Nobody doesn’t come here it could have how much flood, nobody does come and look for we, nobody don’t come and say nothing in the back here. We fed up appeal for help, nothing does happen.”
New homeowner Rajesh Seepersad lamented the lack of critical infrastructure that continued to contribute to the deluge.
He said, “One problem we have here is no drainage. This here is what happens every time rain falls so imagine if a storm passes what will happen.”
Seepersad said if there was another downpour, the situation could quickly worsen.