Interpretation of Findings

Figure 1 showed that ninety percent (90%) of the respondents work within Independence
Square, Trinidad, on a daily basis. Meanwhile, only ten percent (10%) did not work within the
area. The data suggested that majority of people who commute within Independence Square, rely
on the area for employment.
Figure 2 showed that the vast majority (83.3%) of participants have been victims of flooding
in Independence Square. Whereas a minority (16.7%) of participants have never been victims of
flooding within the area of investigation. This is because these participants either have not been
commuters within Independence Square for a sufficient amount of time that would allow them to
experience flooding in the area. Or, the participants do not regularly commute in the researched
area. From this data, it can be said that the bulk of commuters within Independence Square have
been affected by flooding issues in said area.
Figure 3 presented to the researcher that the number of times each participant experienced a
flood in Independence Square actually varied. There was no major outlier in the percentages
obtained. The highest number of the participants, one third of the sample population, (33.3%)
were victims of flooding in the study area between five to seven times and the least amount, ten
percent, were victims of more than ten floods in the area. This can suggest that the older
participants experienced more issues of flooding than others. In the interim, fifteen percent
(15%) of respondents were never victims of flooding within Independence Square. It is because
these participants commuted within Independence Square for a shorter time than the others.
Figure 4 illustrated the extent of agreement of each participant to the statement, Flooding
within Independence Square is very severe. The data indicated that more than half of the
respondents (53.34%) strongly agreed with the aforementioned statement and 33.33% agreed

with the statement. This gives an overall conclusion that the vast majority (a total of 86.67%) of
the total respondents agree that flooding within the investigated area is quite severe. These
responses were due to the participants already having the experience of flooding within
Independence Square, either once or more than one time. There were, however, some
participants (13.33%) who did not agree with, but had a neutral view towards this statement,
whereas no participant disagreed or strongly disagreed with it. These results were as shown,
because the percentage of persons who felt neutral about the statement, never experienced a
flood within Independence Square, but they may have heard about flooding in said vicinity via
news broadcasts.
Figure 5 showed whether or not the workplace buildings of participants have ever been
damaged by floods in Independence Square, Trinidad. The diagram illustrated that the
employment buildings of two thirds (66.6%) of the participants have been damaged by floods in
Independence Square. It also made clear that the workplaces of one third (33.3%) of the sample
population have not been affected by these floods. The difference in these responses can be due
to the location of the respective workplaces of the participants, since a building constructed on
high lands will not be as susceptible to flooding as a building resting on lower lying grounds.
Figure 6 showed a diagram illustration the amount of money spent by participants for the
purpose of repairing damages to their places of business, these damages were due to floods. The
obtained statistics presented that 16.7% of the respondents did not spend any money, this is since
their workplace buildings did not experience any negative impact of flooding. Another reason is
that they were employees, and as such, their employers had the expense of repairing the
buildings. Of the participants who had to pay for repairs, the minority paid less than fifteen
thousand dollars (5%), this stipulates that severe damage to buildings is not a major effect of

flooding in Independence Square. The majority of the sample population had the expense of
paying one thousand to five thousand dollars (20%) and the expense of paying five thousand to
ten thousand dollars (30%). From this, it can be proposed that the amount of damage that occurs
due to the chronic flooding in Independence Square, results in damages to buildings with an
average costing of one thousand to ten thousand dollars.
Figure 7 showed whether or not respondents believed that the issue of flooding within
Independence Square should be urgently attended to. There was a drastic difference between
both responses as only ten percent (10%) of participants believed that the issue does not need to
be urgently attended to, whereas ninety percent (90%) believed that the issue needs to be
urgently attended to. Hence, from this recording, it can be seen that a large number of persons
within the sample population do not believe that adequate work is being currently being done to
combat the problem of flooding in Independence Square. Also, they may be working in areas of
Independence Square that are more prone to flooding than the ten percent of respondents who
did not believe that the issue needs urgent attending to.
Lastly, Figure 8 showed a report of what the respondents think are the main causes of
flooding in Independence Square. The greatest amount of participants (93.33%) agreed that poor
drainage is a primary cause because poor drainage is the most observed cause, since it can be
safe to say that all the respondents have walked on the pavements of Independence Square. The
minority of participants (60%) agreed that the land itself is a primary cause, since only more
geographically versed persons would quickly consider the actual features of the land that the area
is lying on, because this reason has an entirely geographic background, and the average
commuter is not necessarily immensely geographically versed.

Discussion of Findings
This research found that the causes of flooding are improper drainage, pollution, geographical
characteristics of the land, as well as overcrowding of the area. Mark Fraser (2014), Adam
Mynott (2010), Sean Breslin (2015) and Fernella Wedderburn (2010) supported this finding, as
the each stated that a primary reason for excessive flooding stems from poor drainage coupled by
pollution. They all made clear that the majority of litter from streets eventually enter the drainage
systems of a city and can clog the drains. In a city with improper drainage, there is not enough
drainage, or there are not large enough drains, to facilitate the amount of runoff water that finds
its way into the city via rainfall. Therefore, if these two problems are combined, the result leads
to drains which overflow quickly onto the citys roadways, bringing with it, large amounts of
garbage onto the streets. Mark Fraser stated that the problem of flooding can be further
worsened, if the land is low-lying and pointed out that this is the case with Independence Square.
This Coincides with this report, as upon research, this researcher found that Independence
Square, not only is an area of low-lying land, but lies below sea level. Intrinsically, surface water
from areas surrounding Independence Square have a tendency to run off into the lower land,
which is Independence Square itself. Hence, Independence Square acts as a land basin for
collecting surface runoff water from surrounding areas.
The data obtained from this research has also confirmed that flooding in Independence Square
has a negative effect on both the commuters and the environment. As flooding becomes more
rampant and more prevalent within an area, the waters can carry debris and can damage
buildings, costing civilians large sums of money for repairs. The debris in the water can also be a
safety hazard to citizens, as the debris can injure persons and the excessive amounts of unclean
water and rubbish can act as breeding grounds for disease vectors, such as mosquitoes. This case

was similar to the findings of Adam Mynott, who, in his report (2010), provided evidence for the
aforementioned facts, as he documented countless numbers of destroyed houses and even larger
numbers of lost crops with respect to the floods of Pakistan. As a flood plights an area of land,
the currents of the water carry with it large amounts of debris which can damage buildings and
homes. In addition to this, most crops are not able to with stand large amounts, or forces, of
water. This causes the crops to become trampled by the water, and as such, they die. Not only
does the loss of crops and the damages of buildings result in a substantial loss of money of the
citizens, but many are left homeless.
Moreover, as the flood waters subside, it leaves behind an atrocious layer of numerous rubble
and rubbish that consists of garbage from drains, plant matter, dirt, silt and even pieces of
building materials. This, further justifies the mentioned environmental impacts of flooding on an
area, since all four sources of secondary data positively support the findings of the primary data
of this research.
The aftermath of a flood leaves behind many traces of unsightly debris and rubbish, as
aforementioned, however, this residual debris forms excellent breeding grounds for unwanted
and harmful pests. This was not observed in Independence Square solely, but also, as stated by
Sean Breslin (2015), in the Philippines as well. Breslin related to his target audience that the
repercussion of floods, that is the scattered rubbish and debris, attract rodents and insects which
carry with them diseases and even venomous snakes. The citizens in the flood stricken areas are
highly susceptible to contracting diseases from these vectors. Since the affected areas usually
become minimally accessible to service vehicles, such as ambulances, the majority of disease
contracted flood victims do not obtain medical help in an efficient time frame, and the mortality
rate increases.

In addition to agreeing with the aforementioned circumstances sought out by the researcher of
this portfolio, Wedderburn and Fraser both continued to mention that flood victims, as long as
they remain in the flood wrecked areas, can be seriously injured by fragments from dilapidated
buildings. These fragments can badly injure persons, and the wound can become quickly infected
due to the unclean surroundings of the affected land.
The primary findings of this research indicated that the majority of participants felt that the
issue of flooding needs to be urgently attended to, this implies that they believe that nothing
substantial is being done thus far. In actuality, as both Mark Fraser (2014) and Fernella
Wedderburn (2010) have conveyed, the respective Governments of regions greatly affected by
floods, have been taking steps to reprimand the issue. They both stated that the Government has
invested large sums of money in constructing bigger drains, as well as, in employing citizens to
keep the areas clean and the drains, free of rubbish.
It was found in this research, that whilst the Government can ensure that the streets and drains
of Independence Square are regularly cleaned, there is very little that can be done, in terms of
changes in infrastructure, to alleviate the issue of chronic flooding in the area, because the area is
already crowded and developed. Adam Mynott, in his article, shares the same results in
Pakistans flooding issue, and further stated that if a city is too overcrowded, construction of
larger drains would prove to be futile. He supports his claim by saying that an overcrowded city
already has little space for further development, if the drains were to be constructed on, and
made wider and deeper, this would upset the sizes of road ways and pavements and may cause
even more congestion. Sean Breslin also stated that when considering construction alterations
within an already packed city, a Government must consider and weigh the positive effects against

the disruptions that it may cause, this complicates complete alleviation of flooding via
construction, in both Independence Square and the Philippines.
Since some of the main causes of this chronic flooding found in this research were poor
drainage and pollution, citizens can refrain from littering. This will decongest the areas drainage
systems, and will help ensure that any water ways are not clogged. Additionally, because
damages to buildings was found to be a prevalent effect of the flooding in Independence Square,
business owners can obey building and construction codes.
Mynott (2010), Fraser (2014), Wedderburn (2010) and Breslin (2015) all addressed similar ways
in which the everyday citizen can help lessen the impact of flooding on their city by stating that
persons can use rubbish bins, or recycle bins instead of throwing litter on the streets.
Furthermore, they stated that those who own businesses or any other buildings within the
susceptible areas can ensure that their buildings are in accordance with building codes and they
should ensure that the building structurally sound. Fernella Wedderburn and Mark Fraser
suggested that citizens can and should also report any threats of flooding to their respective
disaster preparedness and management centres.