The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) is advising citizens to be vigilant and cautious as they carry out their daily activities, forecasting that “rain and showers, some heavy and thundery, will continue from yesterday. The ODPM also said flash flooding in some areas is likely depending on how much rain, and for how long it continues. “Noting the amount of rainfall that has occurred, particularly in Tobago, the possibility of moderate cases of localised street and flash flooding as well as landslides/landslips are likely in the vicinity of prolonged rainfall or heavy downpours,” the ODPM’s Web site said yesterday.
The Meteorological Office said rain will continue today but without heavy gusts of winds and showers. In an interview yesterday MP for Diego Martin Central Dr Amery Browne said Diego Martin is one such susceptible area. He said all was well in Diego Martin after yesterday’s downpour. He said reports from various area managers said water levels were low and there was no sign of flooding, but that didn’t mean the area is in the clear, as a "worrisome pattern" was developing. He said, "Residents across Diego Martin are feeling a lot of tension. We've seen this pattern before, where there is slow and steady rainfall, followed by a heavy shower, and that's when we'll be in trouble." He said some drains have not been attended to, soil would become saturated, and this would lead to eventual flash flooding later in the week or by the weekend. "I will continue to monitor the situation very closely," he said.
The ODPM Web site warned: “Be particularly alert to strong gusty winds and any flying debris caught in the wind. Over the past few hours both Trinidad and Tobago have been experiencing periods of rain and showers, some of which have been moderate to heavy. This rainfall activity is due to moisture trailing a Tropical Wave which passed over the southern Caribbean region on Saturday.” It advised that the prevailing weather conditions do not mean the country is on storm watch. Yesterday’s rain did not seem to cause too much trouble, as calls to certain regional corporations along the East/West corridor revealed all was under control. Councillor for Macoya/Trincity Ria Boodoo said her office did not receive any reports of flash flooding. She said because of a retention pond placed on Trincity Boulevard, and retention walls placed at the Trincity Industrial Estate and Macoya Gardens, there should not be any flooding as yet." A spokesman at the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation said no one called in to the chairman's office to complain about flooding. Similarly, calls to the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation revealed no residents called in to report problems with flash flooding. Teachers at Sacred Heart Boys' RC School on Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain, said usually there is flood with heavy rain in their area, but said even with the consistent rain yesterday there was no flooding.