SASCHA WILSON
With more than a 150 residents affected by floods in the Siparia, Fyzabad and San Francique area, members of the public and the business community are being asked to render aid to these families.
Some areas including Ackbar Trace and St John Trace in Fyzabad were still under water yesterday afternoon.
Fyzabad Member of Parliament Dr Lackram Bodoe believes the floods caused by heavy and consistent rainfall on Wednesday could be worst than last year’s floods. Confirming that parts of his constituency were still under water, he said at least 100 households were affected and the water was still rising.
The situation was compounded by the malfunctioning flood gates at St John Trace.
He said he spoke with Works and Transport Minister Kazim Hosein who indicated that he will be looking into providing water pumps in the areas as a temporary measure.
Bodoe said councillors of the Siparia Regional Corporation were out on the ground providing meals, sandbags, water and other relief to the affected residents. Due to the intensity of the flooding at this time around, he said they have designated shelters, one of which is the Avocat Vedic School.
With flood waters reaching as high as five feet in some areas, he said only high vehicles could traverse those areas.
“Volunteers came on board, but any assistance will be welcomed. We anticipate that we will need meals for the next two to three days since some residents' kitchens were under water. They will also need cleaning materials.”
While the water has receded in some areas in San Francique, Penal and Rousillac, outgoing chairman Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh said it has left a lot of destruction, mayhem and pain. Hardest hit areas were in low line areas in Siparia, San Francique, Santa Flora, Chatoor Avenue, Fyzabad, Agapito Trace, Palo Seco, Santa Flora, and Syne Village.
Estimating that about 150 households were affected, Ramadharsingh said about 50 families lost everything in their homes.
He said the Disaster Management Unit was out on the field doing assessments and assisting in whatever way they could.
He said the Corporation has been trying to do its best with little resources and has also linked up with other agencies and businesses to provide assistance to the affected residents. “We are calling on corporate community to come forward and assist. Show mercy and compassion, especially in this Christmas season,” he said.
Businessman Mark Chatoor, a resident of Chatoor Avenue, Fyzabad, said this was the worst flooding he has experienced in his 27 years living in that area. Chatoor said his wife who is due to give birth any day now was trapped in the house from about 11 am to about 10 or 11 pm on Wednesday. “Thank God we did not have an emergency because we could not leave the house because the flood water was so high. We did not want to take a chance in case she slip and fall (in the water) or get hit by debris.”
Chatoor who operates four businesses from his home also lost three refrigerators while the furniture in his tent and chair rental company was soaked.
Two of his vehicles, a three tonne truck and an H100 truck, were also under water.
Chatoor said the one foot high flood barrier they constructed at their front door did not help. “It was really devastating I have never seen anything like that in this area.” He thanked his councillor Deryck Bowrin for providing residents with water, meals and cleaning products . He attributed the flooding to clogged waterways and the malfunctioning flood gates at St John Trace.