On Tuesday, Gauree Harrinarian, was looking forward to celebrating her 81st birthday with her family.
Instead, she was left counting her losses after torrential rains last Saturday night ravaged through her home causing mass destruction.
Harrinarian, of Desertpalm Gardens Street in Palmview, Phoenix, had to be rescued from her home.
Her daughter, Prenisha Lakhan, 53, said she was at her home in Eastbury when she received a message from her sister, who was visiting their mother for the weekend.
“It must have been just after 7pm when my sister sent me a picture showing the water had already reached knee height. She was pleading for help. I immediately jumped in the car with my son and nephew. We could barely see anything as we drove to my mum’s house. It was as if we were driving through a river.
“When we arrived, the water was already at waist level inside the house. My mum had even slipped and fallen in the passageway. At that moment, we knew we had to get everyone out. My son and nephew carried mum out and took her to another relative's house on the same road, which is above road level,” she said.
Lakhan said the family had been left with barely any of their belongings.
“The only big items that could be salvaged were a set of sofas and the dining table and chairs but everything else was damaged. My mum lost all her paperwork as well as her sewing equipment, which she used to generate extra income.
“Even if we tried to salvage the beds or food, we couldn’t because it was not only the rain, but also the sewage that flowed into the house. The stench was so unbearable and it was unhygienic. No matter how much we are trying to clean, the smell just won’t go away. It has even started to affect mum’s chest.”
Lakhan said her mother’s temple on the property was also destroyed.
“Mum starts her day in the temple for her morning prayer and all of her books were destroyed. She was more devastated about her temple being destroyed than anything else.”
Lakhan said the damage could have been avoided if the city had upgraded and maintained the infrastructure after the previous heavy rains in June last year.
She said her mother’s home was also flooded then and their household items were damaged.
“Now, there is a lot more damage. However, we were in the process of fixing the house, putting in new doors and painting each of the rooms. We had just completed mum’s sewing room.
“What is more upsetting and frustrating is that following the previous flood, the city officials had come out to the area and made many promises, especially that they would look into upgrading the infrastructure. They also said they would provide us with assistance, but nothing ever happened. I even sent them emails requesting help for the community, many of them elderly residents, but those pleas fell on deaf ears.
“It is sad that residents, especially the elderly, have to bear the brunt of the municipality’s failures. The municipality needs to attend to the poor drainage system, as well as clean out the manholes on a regular basis. If this is not done, are we going to be forced to suffer like this each time there is a storm?
“Sadly, we don't have household insurance like many other families, so we will now have to pick up the pieces at our own expense. But we are still trying to recover from the previous storm. It will take even longer now.
“Our family has lived in this house for 37 years and never have we experienced anything like this in the past. Our fear is that if the municipality doesn't upgrade the infrastructure, we will lose our entire home, and then who will help us?” she said.