Hours of frustration on the creek

Hundreds of commuters and motorists were stuck for hours in miles-long traffic due to heavy flooding along Mosquito Creek on the South Trunk Road in La Romaine. The two-mile strip of roadway runs parallel to the Gulf of Paria on one side and mangroves on the other. There is a concrete wall separating the sea from the roadway and the land on the side of the mangrove has been elevated for the construction of the Point Fortin Highway.

So this major thoroughfare serving commuters from Point Fortin, La Brea and the entire South western peninsula to San Fernando and beyond is just at sea level and is quickly transformed into a river. During high tides waves lash at passing vehicles. Heavy overnight showers coupled with swollen rivers and a non functioning water pump made passage through the heavily traversed roadway impassable in the early hours of yesterday morning.

At daybreak, commuters from areas in the south western peninsula such as Cedros and Icacos as well as Point Fortin and surrounding communities on their way to work in San Fernando or Port of Spain who braved the elements remained stuck in their vehicles for several hours.

Bumper to bumper traffic could be seen for miles stretching from Dow Village near Otaheite to San Fernando.