Landslide victims cry out for more help

The ten, all family members, are still looking for help as they were forced to stay at the homes of friends and relatives out of the Santa Cruz area. “Our family is all over the place,” said Emily Sookram.

“We have no idea how long we will be able to stay at the places we are at now, but we cannot go back to our homes.” On Saturday last, at about 2 pm, while heavy rain was falling all over Northern Trinidad, a landslide occurred further up the hill sending rocks, trees and loose soil on top of their houses. The villagers began cleaning as much of the debris from the landslide as they could, but more rain fell last week.

“At any given moment that hill could come down again,” Sookram said. “I just don’t want my family to be in danger when it does and that is why we have moved out. But we want to return home. We need help to rebuild our damaged houses.” Newsday was told that the victims have been given mattresses and bedsheets and were told they can access emergency grants to assist them in getting back on their feet. While grateful for all of this, Sookram said it is not enough and she is appealing to any Good Samaritan to lend assistance in the form of building material and roofing.