Two people are dead and five family members are critical as a result of a massive landslide which came crashing down in Delaford, Tobago following six hours of heavy rain which battered the island non-stop yesterday.
By David BrewsterDead are 30-year-old Tyrone McMillan, a chef at the Blue Waters Hotel in Speyside and Kathy Ann Fergusson, a 16-year-old Sixth Form student at Bishop's High School.
McMillan, of Louis D'or Street, Delaford, died while making a desperate effort to salvage his pick-up parked on the bottom of a hill. He was trapped as a mountain of mud and debris completely covered the vehicle.
The nearby Fergusson dwelling house was also completely submerged in the landslide.
Eye witnesses said last night it was miracle that the entire Fergusson family did not perish in the disaster. Fire fighters related the grim three-hour battle to save the lives of the survivors-Kerlon, 11, Kwasi Ann, 8, Kershon 17, Kalean, 23, and their mother, Shirley. They were flown by helicopter to the Port of Spain General Hospital for treatment.
Situated 18 miles east of Scarborough, most of Delaford was covered in thick mud and slush up to press time, and mopping up operations were expected to continue throughout the night.
There were was also a report that Wesley Trotman of Speyside-four miles further up from Delaford, was in grave danger and fire fighters were experiencing problems to rescue him from his home.
Several community centres, dozens of houses, and business places were under water up to last night and there were reports that two cars and a truck were washed out to sea on Kings Street, Delaford.
Fire Officer David Thomas related last night that his team spent more than four hours to get the Fergusson family out of danger when they rushed to the scene.
"It was very chaotic .The situation was beyond my imagination and we suffered from an acute shortage of equipment for such a situation," said Thomas.
So impassable was the area that Dr Milton Melville , Chief Medical Officer, had to be flown by helicopter to Delaford where Fergusson was pronounced dead.
There was also widespread flooding and landslides in Lambeau, Carnbee, Mt Irvine, Turtle Beach, and from Mt St George to Charlotteville-an 18-mile strip which was covered with mud and debris. Two gas stations were flooded out and flood waters came gushing down from rivers and ravines, over flowing canals and leaving homes engulfed in mud and silt.
Identified by the Meteorological Office in Piarco as a "surface trough"-broad low pressure system which was located in the Eastern Caribbean, the downpour persisted for over six hours, beginning from around 2 a.m. yesterday.
It is unlikely to return and Tobago should experience only some isolated light showers today, the Met office said.
Orville London, Chief Secretary in the Tobago House of Assembly, termed the damage as even more severe than Hurricane Ivan which lashed part of the island last September.
"Yes, it is much worst. I estimate the damage to be in the vicinity of $50 to $60 million. But we Tobagonians are a resilient people. We will bounce back," said London, after touring several villages last night.
Lyn Best, a long time resident at Delaford, described both McMillan and Fergusson as "children" she had known almost from birth.
"I saw him grow to be a man. He was such a nice upright gentleman and Kathy was an angel," she said.
Best said that it appeared that McMillan attempted to remove the vehicle when his brother Kessie failed to get it to start. He then made a run for it and met his death "It's really sad. He was preparing to meet his mother who was expected to return today from a holiday," Best said.
