By Sue-Ann Wayow
IN the 18 years that Dr Rajendra Singh has been living in Valsayn South he has never experienced flooding like what he experienced over the weekend.
On Monday morning, Dr Singh said the water only receded just over three inches from Sunday and the area remains completely swamped out by flood waters.
Flooding is not new to Dr Singh, a cybersecurity Engineer at the University of the West Indies St Augustine Campus, who had to design and build a floodgate with sump pumps costing almost $120,000 just to keep the flood water out of his property at at the corner of Springlands Avenue and Spring Drive, Real Spring, South Valsayn.
Since Saturday, he has been closely monitoring the levels.
He said the water peaked at 25 inches on the floodgate on Sunday evening and was at 22 inches on Monday at around 8.12 am.
Dr Singh told AZP News, “Water depth in front of me is about five feet from the top of the drain and about four feet on the road further to the middle of Springlands. This is the highest since I am living here, 2018 was the second highest and would have peaked four inches lower.”
Around 10.20 am on Monday, the water receded a quarter inch again and while rain continued to pour down in several parts of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Singh said where the sky was overcast with a little bit of sunshine in Springlands.
The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Development have set up shelters to accommodate those who need to leave their homes as Trinidad and Tobago continue to be under an orange level weather and riverine alert.
More Evacuations
Local government councillor for the area Seema Ramsaran-Augustine told AZP News that 20 persons from Springlands and surrounding areas along with their pets were evacuated by boats taken to family and neighbours.
On Monday, the councillor was at Bamboo Settlement No.2 assisting with more evacuations as water levels continued to rise.
She said at least four boats were on the water and volunteers with two private dinghies were also assisting.
Ramsaran-Augustine said another bigger boat would be going to Bamboo to assist as many persons within that area were marooned.
