Floods hit Maraval again

Residents living in western Trinidad should brace themselves for showers and thundershowers today following a weekend filled with tumultuous weather and flood waters. Flood waters had not yet receded in some of these areas yesterday when additional rainfall caused the La Seiva River, Maraval, to bursts its bank. Residents in Maraval and surrounding areas were in a state of distress as flood water surged into roads and gushed into households, undoing two days of clean-up work by residents and State agencies. 

The T&T Met Service issued a release at about 1 pm, warning of possible rainfall, flash-flooding and landslides along the slopes of the Northern Range. By 4 pm, responders had been sent by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) to deal with a landslip in La Seiva and flooding in the same area, making the warnings a reality.  After being alerted by the ODPM, the T&T Fire Service was called in to rescue 12 pupils and two adults from a pre-school in Maraval. 

The ODPM advised citizens to be on the alert for rising water levels and early indicators of flooding and landslides. Yesterday’s flooding and landslides only added to the devastation on Saturday after heavy showers resulted in flood waters damaging homes across the western side of the island. The ODPM had since led regional corporations and several State agencies in clean-up operations.

Regional corporations have promised to help families. However, on Sunday, during a tour of affected areas, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Government would do its best to assist flood victims but not all would be compensated.