Today CTV3 News received several complaints from commuters travel to and from the Village of Sarteneja. Pictures show that a portion of the road is impassable as it is covered by flooded waters. According to residents of Sarteneja buses from Orange Walk to the village have been dropping commuters, including students, off at a point where the road is impassable due to rising flood waters. We can tell you that road is in terrible condition since our Reporter Maria Novelo and Jesus Melgar got a firsthand look at the situation as they traveled to the village today to cover the story. They; however, were unable to access the village since our vehicle was unable to make it across the deep flooded waters. We will have their experience in tomorrow's newscast.
And sticking to the topic, today we contacted District Coordinator for the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) in Corozal, Willard Levy, who told us that in his five years of heading NEMO, it is the first time that the road gets to such a state. To make matters worse he was not informed about the seriousness of the situation.
Willard Levy - NEMO Corozal
"This is something that NEMO did not know absolutely anything about, it was not reported by none of the village leaders and that is the problem that we have if reports are not made into NEMO, NEMO is not always out there on the field and we cannot give any assistance if nothing is given to us. I got this information via an email from a gentleman and I immediately address the concern with the ministry of works, I call Mr. Cano I told him that I am forwarding an email and to please look at the pictures and address the concern and I want a report."
Victor Castillo - Reporter
"I this particular area an area that normally or annually get flooded or it is vulnerable to flooding?"
Willard Levy - NEMO Corozal
"Well it is a low lying area but it has never been as terrible as this, you have to realize that we had above average rain for this area and low lying area usually get the vulnerable part of it where they get flooded and areas that hardly flood would be more flooded and so it is a low lying area and ministry of works have to find a way how to address that area by maybe probably filling the road and avoiding any future incident but at the same time Mr. Cano mention that he is not sure, he does not want to make any judgment as to what the condition is why the flooding probably it would be culvert that is covered up and making it impossible for the water to run, he doesn't know he will find that out tomorrow."
According to Levy, the manager for the District Ministry of Works in Corozal, Emil Cano will be heading out to the area first thing tomorrow morning to assess and find a solution to the situation.
Willard Levy - NEMO Corozal
"He has given me a report and he says that he is going to be over to that areas first thing tomorrow morning and address the concern as to finding a way on how to getting that water off the road and after that he can address the road condition so that it could be trafficable, it would be passable."
Victor Castillo - Reporter
"Is there anything else that probably NEMO could assist these people that are travelling today in particular to get in and out from Sarteneja?"
Willard Levy - NEMO Corozal
"Well, the thing is that the flood is not as deep as we would say that we can't send in some boats in there to assist, the problem is that flooded road have some pot hole and that is the fear that busses have to drive through that water and they are afraid to get stuck in that water and won't be able to come out so that is the reason why the people have to walk through that water, at this point there isn't anything that we can at this point to do tomorrow Mr. Cano will be doing that."
We will bring an update on the relieve work that should commence tomorrow in our next newscast.
CTV3