Two saved from raging Dry River flood waters

TWO persons, a man and a woman, were pulled out of the raging flood waters in the Port-of-Spain Dry River yesterday. Newsday caught up with Ulric Smith, 39, aka “Ballhead Yankee” one of the two survivors at Duncan Street in Port-of-Spain, thanking his lucky stars. The female survivor was long gone and no one knew where she lived. Smith, 39, a skilled labourer who gave his address as Haig Street, Carenage said, “I thought  that was it; I thought I was going to die as I kept drifting further and further down the river bank hitting my body on the sides and everything that passed including old fridges, stoves, half cars and more. “I have been given a second life, and will now live it for God.”

Explaining what led to his predicament, Smith said, “I crept up on the bank of the river at the corner of Prince and Piccadilly Streets, to relieve myself. At the time there was a slight drizzle. “While relieving myself, I slipped and fell in the swelling waters, losing the bag with my tools on my back and my pants. “It seemed like forever I kept being carried to a watery grave. People made several attempts to pull me out, but they all failed. Eventually I grabbed a blade of knot-grass located on the southern side of the river, after passing City Gate, which I used to pull myself up and out of the river.

“All I could do was sit and rest for about an hour before I could walk again. “I heard there was a woman who also fell in before me, but I do not know more.” A woman who fell in the river a short while before Smith was rescued by members of the Centre For Socially Displaced Persons at Nipdec car park, East Dry River. “After living a questionable life, I thought that was it,” Smith continued. “I really thought that was it; now I intend to concentrate my life  on God for giving me a second chance.” Smith claimed to have a wife and child. Besson Street police said they had no report of the incidents. However, acting manager of the CSDP George Morrison confirmed that the incidents took place saying similar events occur every year at around this time.