kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
Frustrated and hungry after five days of being trapped in their homes, some residents of Cedar Grove, Mayaro, risked their lives yesterday, wading through flood waters from the swollen Otoire River in search of food and medicine.
While approximately 20 people were able to successfully navigate the chest high water, more than 200 residents, including a sick baby in dire need of medical attention, remained trapped in the village yesterday.
A doctor, who came to the outskirts of the village, said she wanted to check on the baby who requires a special tube. She said if the tube was not changed soon, the infant could develop an infection.
Villagers said water began invading their homes since Thursday evening, disconnecting them from the rest of the community.
They said they have been without food, gas and drinking water.
A Kiss Baking Company truck that was trapped in the area was opened and the villagers took bread.
First responders have been unable to enter the area as their vehicles can’t withstand the strong currents in the swollen river.
“My whole house flood out,” said Beverley Persad, who walked through the water accompanied by a boy and a man. She said they had to walk through bushes where the water reached their shoulders.
“I live at the end of New Trace Junction before the sawmill. Everything is flooded out. I lost my material, my washing machine, my seven chickens and my dog. I lost everything.
“Right now, the problem is that we have no groceries in our houses. Some of us don’t have gas to cook.
“We reached out here because we saw that things were being given out, but we really need help,” Persad said.
She said dry food, diapers and medicine, including painkillers and antacids, are desperately needed.
Some of her neighbours have fallen ill and bedridden elderly people are among the stranded villagers.
The water is unsafe to walk through as cesspits and outhouses have been flooded out. Persad said the area can only be accessed by boats.
At Sylvan Hill, the water is too deep to walk through. One woman who attempted to come out of her house when she heard medical supplies were coming was left stranded when the boat she was in got stuck.
She said flooding was a common occurence in the area and social services had never been sufficient to recover any of her losses.
She said recovery would be particularly hard as she was a single parent and the Cepep programme in which she was employed was cancelled.
Chairman of the Rio Claro-Mayaro Regional Corporation Glen Ram said efforts were being made to get Army and Coast Guard personnel to assist in taking emergency supplies into the community.
“At this time, we at the regional corporation cannot get in there. We have supplies to bring in terms and water and food.
“I’m now hearing about the number of persons who are ill in here, so I will make arrangements with the Mayaro hospital to get the medicine,” he said.
By mid-afternoon, rain had returned to compound the residents’ woes. Without assistance and despite being afraid, they had to wade through the flood waters to return to their homes.