With memories of last year’s floods still fresh on their minds, residents of Woodland, Penal, Debe, Biche and Mayaro spent yesterday trying to secure their homes against the expected rough weather.
Up to late yesterday, the Meteorological Service continued its orange alert for T&T as an intense tropical wave was forecast to hit between 6 am today and 8 pm Monday. A thunderstorm is expected with the likelihood of street and flash floods, gusty winds above 65 km/hr and the risk of landslides in vulnerable areas.
Chairman of the Rio Claro/Mayaro Regional Corporation Glen Ram said that up to midday, close to 120 residents had collected sandbags in a bid to prevent water from flowing into their homes. Last year, the Biche, Mafeking, Plum Mitan, Cedar Grove and Poole communities were among the worst affected with water up to eight feet in some areas when a storm struck last October.
Ram said the Corporation’s office remained open in case there was a need to quickly dispatch backhoes and other equipment while the Disaster Management Unit were on standby to deal with the eventuality of floods. With some of the many rivers in the community still not cleared by the Ministry of Works and Transport’s Drainage Division, he said many residents are fearful that the floods will return. Some of them have already begun seeking higher ground.
In Debe, scores of residents were either gathering sandbags or bags for sand which were distributed by the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC). The region has already experienced flooding for the year and with several silted watercourse reaching threshold levels easily with a few hours of rainfall, residents expect more floods. PDRC chairman Dr Allen Sammy said there was enough sand stockpiled at Kennedy Park, Debe and 20 truckloads of sand and empty sandbags in Penal. Additional loads were expected to be delivered to the PDRC compound yesterday evening.
Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation chairman Henry Awong said that a stockpile of sand was gathered a month ago in anticipation of the weather.
“As we speak, sandbags are being filled at the Corporation and we have placed sand at strategic points throughout the region, especially the flood-prone areas. Sandbags are available at the councillors’ offices where burgesses can collect them. We are prepared as much as we can be given the funds that we have,” Awong said.
Siparia Regional Corporation chairman Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh said his team was doing all they can with limited resources. Ramadharsingh said the Disaster Management Unit was on standby and has already collected 500 sandbags to distribute where necessary. He said their eyes were on the Woodland, Santa Flora and Palo Seco communities which are prone to flooding.
"We have been talking to the public and the business community as we are not sure whether government resources will be available and we cannot commit the Corporation resources just yet. We are working towards a community effort and have our eyes out for Woodland, Palo Seco and Santa Flora and the councillors are working together. We don't know what the weather pattern will bring but we are very prepared," Ramadharsingh said.