Trinidad and Tobago: Major regions across the island nation are suffering from ongoing heavy rainfall which led in heavy flooding across Trinidad, to which the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government issued immediate High-alert protocols across the affected areas.
The Meteorological Service of Trinidad and Tobago earlier issued an Orange alert which will affect Caroni River Basin. Minister Ameen added that this is the first time in a while that they have witnessed riverine flooding especially in the Caroni River Basin.
As per the reports, the alert has also been issued for the east of the Caroni River along the Manuel Congo River. They have also requested the residents to be cautious and to take necessary measures such as securing their homes with sandbags.
The field reports have confirmed street level and residential flooding across various areas, including major areas such as, Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC), Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation (CTTRC) and Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC).
Disaster management and controlling teams are on the ground, distributing sandbags, continuously monitoring river levels and helping the families that are affected by the flood.
The access to these areas has been stopped to avoid any casualties. The roads of the heavily flooded prone areas including South Oropouche, Caparo Valley, and near the Caroni Valley, where significant overflow in the rivers has inundated residents’ homes.
The government has also approached the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment for providing help with their troop carriers to help the students in the Penal/Debe Region. Following that, trucks have been deployed in the affected areas to safely take the students to and from their examination centers.
As per Minister Ameen, Secondary schools will remain reserved for examination use only and will not be converted into shelters, whereas, Primary schools and Community centers within the affected areas will be prepared as shelters and have requested the people to stay updated through the official communication channels.
Following that, another yellow level alert has been provided by the Meteorological Service of Trinidad and Tobago, predicting heavy thunderstorms and high chances of landslides and flooding. A short after releasing this forecast the ministry of education said to the ones in the affected areas that do whatever they have to do, to keep them safe without waiting for an update from their sides in the affected areas.
