Utilities take a hit

Already having to contend with homes inundated with water, some of the hardest-hit residents in the east also had to deal with their distress in the dark on Friday night, as the TT Electricity Commission (TTEC) had to cut their power supply.

Up until today, current had not returned as the commission assessed the area both on the ground and from the air, using a drone.

Clean-up efforts were also delayed as three days of intense rain affected Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) water treatment plants throughout the country.

TTEC said the disconnection was a safety precaution to eliminate the serious risk of electrocution to members of the public posed by underground or low-lying electricity infrastructure, which would have been submerged.

A statement from its corporate communications manager Annabell Brasnell confirmed the assessment in east Trinidad was being done to better co-ordinate TTEC's restoration of supply in the aftermath of the rain and subsequent flooding.

While the east was the worst affected, Brasnell said the north coast, central and south Trinidad also suffered power cuts. Tobago was unaffected so far.

As the Met Office warns of continuing bad weather until next Tuesday, Brasnell warned the public they could be shocked or electrocuted by walking or standing in floodwaters. She said people in flooded areas should turn off the electrical supply to their homes from the breaker, as water conducts electricity.

“If there is electricity in the outlet/connection, any person standing in the water will be in danger.”

She also advised against standing on wet surfaces and handling electrical equipment such as cords, power tools, plugs

In an advisory, WASA said the turbid river conditions, clogged intake screens and power failures at some of its water treatment plants had reduced its production from 75 million gallons daily (mgd) to 55 mgd.

Operations were stopped at the Tompire, Matura, Hollis, Aripo, Quare, Guanapo, Caura, Luengo and Naranjo, Acono, Blanchisseuse, Las Cuevas, and La Fillette WTPs in Trinidad and Highlands Road and Hillsborough West WTPs in Tobago.

WASA said areas affected include those supplied by the Caroni WTP: Santa Cruz, Belmont, Morvant, Cascade, St. James, Cocorite, Kelly, Caroni, Chaguanas, Longdenville, Couva, Carapichaima, Claxton Bay, Gasparillo, Marabella, Pleasantville, San Fernando, La Romaine, South Oropouche, Siparia, Debe, Penal and La Brea.

Also affected were areas supplied by other facilities, including Toco, Salybia, Valencia, parts of Arima, El Dorado, Tacarigua, Maracas St Joseph and areas along the North Coast in Trinidad, and Mason Hall and Bacolet in Tobago.

WASA said when conditions become normal the facilities will return to service, but in the interim asked customers to mange their water use efficiently.

TSTT, in a statement, said where there were power outages in east Trinidad their mobile, internet and landline customers were affected. Service teams were working with responders to restore normal service. The affected areas included:

• Toco to Matelot

• Aripo

• Blanchisseuse

• Las Cuevas

• Fishing Pond

• La Lune

• St Helena

And Flow cancelled yesterday’s appointments for service installations and repairs. Customer service agents were to customers to re-schedule appointments with customers, the cable and internet service provider said in a statement.

Customers who were not contacted or had service problems were advised to contact their call centre at 223 FLOW.