Less than 24 hours after activating emergency response mechanisms at the 14 regional corporations across T&T, the Ministry of Works and Transport increased monitoring processes and deployed emergency equipment in specific areas as they braced for flooding and possible evacuation.
Speaking during the formal opening of the Manuel Congo Bridge, Tumpuna Road, yesterday, Minister Rohan Sinanan said based on information from the Meteorological Service they were expecting some adverse weather conditions from Sunday morning going into Monday. The Met Serive raised the alert level to orange, which means you should prepare to safeguard yourself and your property.
"The ODPM would have triggered the normal process of operations and all the Disaster Units at the different corporations would have been operationalised," he said.
He said a further meeting of divisional heads within his ministry was held yesterday to ensure if there was any disaster or landslips, equipment would be placed at strategic points.
He said certain areas were already covered as they had mobilised following the heavy rains last week.
“We have tried to make sure the watercourses are not blocked and in the event of any disaster, that we are in a position to deal with it immediately,” Sinanan said.
During an impromptu visit to Greenvale Park, La Horquetta, Sinanan said while we always hope for the best, we need to be prepared for the worst.
He urged citizens to engage in personal responsibility and prepare for any eventuality even as he said contractors had also been placed on stand-by.
He said, “The idea is that if anything happens, we should be on spot and have equipment there to ensure there are no blockages. The idea now is being proactive rather than being reactive.”
Seeking to reassure residents of Greenvale who expressed anxiety upon learning of the adverse weather bulletin, Sinanan said dredging and rehabilitative works on the Caroni River in that vicinity had resulted in them being able to increase the capacity "to three times what it was before.”
“We will have some equipment stationed in the area to ensure we are ready and we will be monitoring the conditions.”
La Horquetta/Talparo MP Maxie Cuffie said they received two boats from the US Embassy a few months ago "and they are prepared, in the worst-case scenario, to use those boats to get people out."
The two dinghies are being kept in Greenvale and people from the are have been trained as rescue operators.
Cuffie said this was done "to ensure that people can get out in an emergency.”
Asked if areas as Greenvale and Oropune could be evacuated in the event that the river does burst its banks, Sinanan cautioned, “Those calls are left to the ODPM and we are here to support the ODPM and to make sure at least, that we are in position to be ready to assist in any form that is required.”
Responding to the call for home and business owners to install sandbags around their properties, General Manager, Ven Caribbean Paper Products Ltd, Ramesh Maharaj was hard at work with his employees who were filling bags and packing them around the warehousing complex located along Tumpuna Road.
He said, "Based on the reports, we are taking precautions before anything happens."
“Workers came out at 6 am and began filling the sandbags which we are stacking at all the entrances and exits, hopefully, to negate
any kind of possibility that may or may not happen. We are not taking any chances.”
Maharaj estimated they had lost close to $6 million during last year’s floods which included raw materials, production time and downed machinery.
At Greenvale, a woman said, "Although they widened the river and built a berm around the housing development, I am still scared about a repeat of last year."
Indicating she had lost everything in terms of appliances and furniture last October, the anxious woman admitted she would be leaving the area to stay with her sister as a result of the ODPM’s public advisory.
Although she was upset that she has been forced into doing this every time it rained, she said there was little to no other options available to her family.
Adverse weather system expected to develop into tropical cyclone
Around 11.30 am yesterday, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) issued a public advisory in which they urged citizens to brace for inclement weather from today until tomorrow.
They said it was possible that in the event of heavy or intense downpours, street/flash flooding and gusty winds in excess of 65 km/h can be expected, with the increased risk of landslides/landslips in areas so prone.
The ODPM warned people living in low-lying areas, near river banks, or living /working in flood prone or landslip prone areas, to be extra vigilant and to take the necessary precautions to preserve life and property.
Although T&T was said not to be under any tropical storm watch or hurricane warning, they appealed to people to take the necessary precautions.
Emergency Preparations:
1. Assemble a household emergency kit (water, food, medical supplies, radio, batteries, flashlight etc.)
2. Pack a ‘Grab and Go’ bag to last at least 72 hours in the event you and your family need to evacuate.
3. Reduce potential property damage by elevating appliances/ key equipment and applying sandbags to vulnerable points in your home/business (people may check with hardware outlets/the Disaster Management Units at Municipal Corporations for sandbags).
4. Pay attention to the television, radio and social media for any changes in the weather conditions and updates.
5. Keep in contact with family and community members.
Hotline Numbers in case of emergency in bad weather
The Municipal Corporations' Disaster Management Unit and the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) Hotline numbers are as follows:
Arima Borough Corporation 800-2ABC (2222)
Chaguanas Borough Corporation 800-DCBC (3222)
Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation 800-CTTC (2882)
Diego Martin Regional Corporation 800-DMRC (3672)
Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation 800-4MRC (4672)
Penal/Debe Regional Corporation 800-PDRC (7372)
Point Fortin Borough Corporation 800-PFCB (7322)
Port of Spain City Corporation 800-PSCC (7722)
Princes Town Regional Corporation 800-PTRC (7872)
San Fernando City Corporation 800-SCDU (7238)
Sangre Grande Regional Corporation 800-SGRC (7472)
San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation 800-SLRC (7572)
Siparia Regional Corporation 800-4SRC (4772)
Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation 800-TPRC (8772)
Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) 211