(Trinidad Guardian) Six houses are on the brink of collapse and 15 more families are in danger of being cut off as two major landslips deteriorate rapidly at Pluck Road, San Francique.
On Tuesday morning, residents and business owners took action by staging a fiery blockade across the road, which had dropped more than 15 feet.
When Guardian Media arrived on the scene, the pavement was cracked and pedestrians gingerly made their way down the precipice towards the San Francique Presbyterian School.
The remains of two houses which tumbled down the precipice could be seen. Six more houses bore cracks and electricity poles leaned precariously.
Resident Emma Mohammed whose home had slipped down said it was terrifying living in the sinking house.
“At nights we hear the roof banging. We don’t know if the roof will fall in on us but we are praying for help. We have nowhere else to go,” Mohammed said.
Saying the landfill was man-made Mohammed said when a four-inch water line broke in last year, it took 12 days for WASA to fix it. By then the landslip had already claimed an expanse of land causing the road to sink.
Owner of Valmart Express Minimart Valene Ramsundarsingh- Mohammed said business had dwindled because of the state of the road.
“We already dealing with Covid and with this landslip, things have become worse because our suppliers hesitate to come into the community because of the state of the roads,” Ramsundarsingh- Mohammed said.
She explained when the road started sinking last year, repeated calls were made to the Works Ministry.
“They promised to fix it in January, but up to now nothing was done,” she added.
President of the Pluck Road Village Council Sonnylal Sookhoo said residents came together and pooled money to fix the road themselves but despite their efforts, the landfill worsened.
“It is heartbreaking to see children walking down that precipice to get to school. It is dangerous for people and motorists,” he said.
