One year after the devastating tragedy that shook the community of El Castaño, in Maracay, Aragua State, the memory of that fateful day continues to torment the survivors. The overflowing waters of the Palmarito ravine, which jumped its course after days of intense rainfall, carried away everything in its path leaving a trail of destruction. Four lives were lost, and more than one hundred people were displaced from their homes. Moreover, the aftermath of that event continues to resonate in the community which is still struggling to recover.
By Adalberto Pérez / Correspondent lapatilla.com
This fatal episode left a heartbreaking toll and affected a total of 220 homes in the area. Among them, 18 homes in Palmarito reported serious damage, while another 12 had minor damage. Thirty-eight homes were registered as total loss in different sectors, 14 houses in the Ojo de Agua sector, 34 in Corozal, 12 with slight damage in Palmarito and also 17 homes that, despite not having suffered direct damage, are on the river bank, which represents a constant concern for residents.
The magnitude of the tragedy continues to be evident in the desolate landscape of El Castaño, where on the afternoon of that Monday, October 17th, the mudslide destroyed 70% of the power lines and also the entire white water pipe system and devastated the streets and avenues of this area.
Unkept promises
A year later nature’s scars are still visible. Municipal and regional authorities have promised help and aid for those affected and so far the residents of El Castaño and Palmarito feel that these promises have not been fulfilled. The community feels abandoned by the Government, and aid has proven insufficient to alleviate the pain and losses.
Neighbors who prefer to remain anonymous say that after a year of the tragedy, Mayor Rafael Morales finally “deigned” to pave the main street of Palmarito. However, they consider that this action comes late and is insufficient to remedy the suffering they have faced. “When the national authorities left, we were orphans. You can see the difference,” says one of the affected residents.
Discontent has taken over the community which is demanding more prompt attention and adequate help to rebuild their lives and homes. As the scars of the tragedy linger, the residents of El Castaño and Palmarito continue to fight to recover and find the justice and support they so desperately need.
The other side of Premium Maracay
In recent statements, the highest authority of the ‘Garden City’ (Maracay) announced that they will implement a special reorganization plan, which will include the evaluation and consideration of losses of some properties.
Likewise, he pointed out that according to the risk map that has been prepared after the tragedy by specialists in the field, it has been determined that certain houses are “unviable” in terms of safety and habitability.
“There are some owners who have asked us for materials to rebuild their homes, but we have responsibly stopped that until the special plan is ready and thus know if it is appropriate or not to rebuild a home where it used to be taking into account the designed canalization and the works taking place, infrastructure works that are being carried out, because our intention is to protect the families of El Castaño,” the mayor mentioned.
However, during a tour carried out by the lapatilla.com team in the area, it was found that many houses that were affected are being rebuilt, while neighboring homes have since been abandoned by the owners, even leaving the mud covering part of the facades.
Construction machinery, as well as private construction vehicles, go up and down the streets of Palmarito to unload on some land lot the necessary materials for construction companies to rebuild what the river left in ruins.
“There are people around here who gave their house to a construction company to have it rebuilt. Although I do not know if risk studies were carried out in those houses or if corrective measures are being taken to avoid future tragedies, we know that this is not the reality of all those affected and it is only an option that very few can afford,” said a neighbor of the area.
Work at a “snail’s pace”
According to the statements of Mayor Morales, during the coming year 2024, residents will be able to observe the presence of heavy machinery, with the purpose of mitigating the violence of the waters and stabilizing 100% of all sectors, starting from the epicenter that is El Castaño, to then work on the complications that exist “downstream”.
After these statements, several neighbors were consulted and they preferred not to reveal their names but assured that “there is a lot” that can be done in one year. “If the work had been maintained since the disaster occurred until today, everything would be ready, or failing that, there would be little left to do,” commented a neighbor from the area.
Likewise, a neighbor mentioned that if the work continues “at a snail’s pace” it will not only take 2024 to recover what was damaged. “A week after one year of the tragedy, they reactivated the asphalt re-pavement works, for example. If after this happens, they forget again, they will not only need 2024 to finish the works.”
One year after the El Castaño tragedy, the community continues fighting to rebuild their lives. The aftermath of that fateful day is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of extreme weather conditions and the importance of prevention and urban planning. The promise of support and recovery from the authorities is a constant reminder of the need for these words to be translated into concrete actions to protect communities in times of crisis.