Flood waters crept into the homes of Ruimveldt residents yesterday morning and again in the afternoon after the dam was unable to hold back the high tide.
Many residents complained that the dam was eroding. When Stabroek News visited the area, huge holes were observed in the dam and some of the posts had worn down below the water line. The water flowed easily through these holes and as the tide rose, it meandered over the other eroded posts.
Morris Fernandes said this was not the first time the water had come to his doorstep. The man said the water damaged all of his PVC pipes while noting that the road seriously needs fixing.
Indra Kellawan, another resident said she was fortunate that the water did not enter her home. David Gomes, on the other hand, was not so lucky. Gomes said the water made its way into his home and damaged his wardrobe, TV stand, washing machine, vinyl, and his oil paint.
Gomes told Stabroek News the water couldn’t have come at a more inconvenient time. He said it was only two weeks ago that his home was renovated. The man showed Stabroek News, a cement block he built to prevent the water from getting into his house. The water rose beyond that barrier.
According to Gomes, it was the fishermen who were causing the damage to the dam. He said fishermen would usually fetch their boats over the dam and this would cause great destruction to the structure.
One woman said even though nothing was damaged for her, she is hoping that the city council brings sandbags for her in case water gets into her home.
Zahir Khan said bridges in the area that linked homes to the road, floated away. Khan said sturdier bridges had to be built once the water subsided. Khan also thinks that it is the fishermen, whose boats ram the dam often, who are causing the sea defence to collapse.
“So a had to wash up all meh thing and all meh stuff spoil,” Butch Madramootoo said. Madramootoo invited Stabroek News into her home, where all of her furniture had been packed on up. Madramootoo’s house was cramped and the water stains left from the early morning flooding showed that the water had been about 4 inches high. Madramootoo said she had to move into her neighbour’s because of the flooding.
The woman said early in the morning, “it was bare slabs of mud, and we could not stay in hay because it was smelly.”
The woman said she had aired her grievances with the current administration multiple times and despite promises being made nothing has been done.
“Is animals living at the back here, animals that does pay rates and taxes,” John Madramotoo said. John said the tide is rising so high, there is nothing to block it off. Like his wife, John said the government had promised to address the issue, but nothing has been done.
“Every time you go against these people [government] is problem, but we can’t change nothing,” a sombre John said.
