Strong winds wreak havoc in Couva

Strong winds caused the collapse of the top floor of a house at Sonny Mal Avenue, Calcutta No 1, McBean, Couva, yesterday. Ken Mohammed, 37, one of the occupants, said the effect of the winds shocked him and his relatives. He said it began raining around 10 am and then he heard a creaking when the roof blew off and collapsed on the western side of the house. He said the family suffered losses when their electrical appliances, clothing and furniture were ruined by the water.

He said his wife, who  was cooking at the time, is still in shock. The family was visited yesterday by Local Government Minister Suruj Rambachan, who promised immediate help for the family. Rambachan said a team will do an assessment of the damage while the Government will supply around $25,000 in materials. Rambachan said he will also seek to get a grant for the family to replace some of their household appliances. Rudranath Indarsingh, the Couva South MP, said he also visited another family at Calcutta No 3 who was also affected by the freak storm.