Flooding: A Welties homeowner’s nightmare
Heavy rains caused severe damage to a resident's home, leaving him to pick up the pieces.
As the heavy rains poured down in the Northside area, homeowner Vincent Moaga’s worst nightmare became a reality when Dolfhout Street and surrounding homes experienced severe flooding on the evening of Wednesday, March 5, causing extensive damage to his property.
Moaga was enjoying a relaxing evening with his two daughters when he heard the heavy rains outside. The floodwaters rose rapidly, engulfing his property and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
Also read: Residents face aftermath of intense rainfall and widespread damage
“The lake next to the greenbelt was already flooded, and at the time I doubted that we would be severely affected as I anticipated that the water would flow down the lake.
“I then noticed the water coming in through our kitchen sliding door and inside the house, and my first instinct was to keep my children safe by taking them to the garage as the water rapidly increased and started flooding the entire house,” Moaga frustratingly explained.
The flood damaged not only the interior of Moaga’s home but also the exterior, with water washing away their brick wall onto the road and next to the greenbelt, while the palisade fences built next to the property to keep vagrants away from homes were also washed away and damaged, blocking both sides of the road.
“I was in shock when I saw the water from the river flooding the street. Living next to the greenbelt has always worried me about the possibility of flooding, but I never thought it would be this bad,” he adds.
Fortunately, the RiverWel Resident’s Association (RA), with the assistance of the Honeydew CPF and volunteers, responded quickly on the evening of the incident by removing debris and a fence on Dolfhout Street after the flood.
Also read: Severe storms and flash floods – here’s what to do
The following day (March 6), RiverWel RA with volunteers dedicated their entire morning to assisting residents who were severely affected by the floods by conducting a clean-up, clearing the roads and yards, and moving fallen trees in the area.
“We have taken all the names and contact details of residents who were affected, and RiverWel will be assisting them with funds and resources,” said RiverWel public relations officer Adeline Singh.
