Landslide cuts off Lady Young Road

UPDATE:

AFTER seven and a half hours of clearing dirt and trees following an early morning landslide, the Lady Young Road was opened to the public just after 4pm.

The work was completed before the estimated completion time. Glenn Mahabirsingh, general manager of operations at Coosals, told Newsday that the work would have been completed hopefully by 5 pm at the earliest. Coosals was contracted to clear the landslide along with Ministry of Works and Transport (MOWT) officials.

According to residents, the landslide took place around 2 am. Ministry officials were on site as early as 8 am assessing the work needed to be done and one hour later trucks from contractor, Coosals, and backhoes from the MOWT arrived and began clearing the road. An access along the road through Belmont was used to connect drivers from the Eastern Main Road to the Queen's Park East.

Ministry officials said after clearing the dirt and trees that came tumbling down this morning, they have to trim trees on top the mountain and clear loose dirt to prevent further slippage. Today's landslide is one of many for the rainy season that has cut off drivers.

In February, former PNM St Ann’s East MP Joanne Thomas narrowly escaped when her car got caught in a landslide along Lady Young Road, also near the lookout. The falling rock and dirt pushed Thomas’ car to the edge of the road which runs along the mountainside from Port of Spain to Morvant.

Former PP government minister Devant Maharaj was proceeding along the road and stopped to help Thomas when the landslide happened.

ORIGINAL STORY:

DRIVERS are being warned to stay away from the Lady Young Road following a landslide early this morning.

Officials of the Ministry of Works and Transport told Newsday that the work to clear both lanes near the Port of Spain lookout will be completed by 5 pm today. According to residents, the landslide took place around 2 am. Ministry officials were on site as early as 8 am assessing the work needed to be done and one hour later trucks from contractor, Coosals, arrived and began clearing the road.

Access along the road is only possible between the Eastern Main Road and St Francois Valley Road, Belmont.

Ministry officials said after clearing the dirt and trees that came tumbling down this morning, they have to trim trees on top the mountain and clear loose dirt to prevent further slippage. Today's landslide is one of many for the rainy season that has cut off drivers.

In February, former PNM St Ann’s East MP Joanne Thomas narrowly escaped when her car got caught in a landslide along Lady Young Road, also near the lookout. The falling rock and dirt pushed Thomas’ car to the edge of the road which runs along the mountainside from Port of Spain to Morvant.

Former PP government minister Devant Maharaj was proceeding along the road and stopped to help Thomas when the landslide happened.

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