00:00In August of 2022, 40-year-old Anon Boise died tragically. He was driving through a flooded
00:06area of the M1 Ring Road when his 4x4 pickup was swept into a water channel due to strong
00:13undercurrents. In April 2023, a family of three narrowly escaped the same fate after they decided
00:20to drive through a flooded area along the eastern main road in Sangre Chiquito. The only thing that
00:26saved them was a guardrail which stopped their vehicle. Despite what might seem stark reminders
00:31about the unpredictability of floodwaters, there are still people taking chances. It was evident
00:37during the recent adverse weather event where the Karani River overflowed its banks and three
00:43vehicles became submerged. A search was on for the driver of one of the vehicles stranded on
00:49Tranquil Road. Luckily, he was later found to be alive and unharmed. Local government minister
00:56Khadija Amin says these situations cause a pulling of resources from areas that really
01:01need it. We had to pull resources from other parts of the area, people who were dealing with
01:06fallen trees, landslips, flooding, evacuating people, and dispatch personnel, emergency vehicles
01:14to that area. We are reminding the public to not drive in floodwater. But the authorities have
01:21had to go a step further as their calls seem to sometimes fall on deaf ears.
01:27We have engaged the TGPS and municipal police with regards to putting barrications. However,
01:35if you choose ignorance, remember that you are not putting yourself at risk. You are putting
01:42everyone else who is part of our operation and our relief at risk. People have also been tampering
01:49with barriers. They remove the barriers. They drive around the barriers. They move the barriers
01:56one side to make space to drive. They steal the barriers completely.
02:01The minister is asking for the cooperation of members of the public, saying that once barriers
02:06are erected, they are there for a reason. More resources have also been geared towards barrier
02:13reinforcement amid the challenges stated by Amin.
02:16Even if you feel that the water has gone down, and you feel it's safe, do not remove our barriers.
02:24We have resorted to, instead of using the steel barriers, the metal barriers, which are a little easier
02:31to lift. We now have to use concrete barriers in some places. It requires trucks and equipment
02:37to lift those heavy concrete barriers. So, I would really prefer if we could continue to use our metal
02:46barriers that is easier to put down and remove by the authorities. So, I'm asking members of the
02:53public, do not remove barriers when you see them across flooded roads.
02:59Amin says at night, the concrete barriers also pose a safety threat. The ministry is looking at it
03:05with the possibility of attaching reflectors to them. Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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