KAREN’S RAGE

SEA OF MUD: The main road in downtown Scarborough was a sea of thick mud yesterday after floodwaters subsided following the passage of Tropical Storm Karen.
SEA OF MUD: The main road in downtown Scarborough was a sea of thick mud yesterday after floodwaters subsided following the passage of Tropical Storm Karen.

HEAVY rains and strong gusts associated with tropical storm Karen wreaked havoc in Tobago yesterday, triggering widespread flooding and damage to houses and commercial properties.

So grave was the situation, it prompted responses from both National Security Minister Stuart Young and Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles.

Milford Road in Scarborough, home to the Esplanade and several other businesses, as well as parts of the port, were submerged by flood waters before 8 am, prompting drivers venturing into the capital to seek alternative routes. The raging waters also made its way through the compound of the T&T Electricity Commission on the adjoining Wilson Road.

However, workers were able to salvage 20 of the 22 vehicles that were parked in the compound at the time by moving them to a secure location. Images posted on social media bore testimony to the deluge.

One image showed the flood waters rushing through Scotiabank’s Scarborough branch on Milford Road.

Scotiabank later said in a statement that this branch will be closed until further notice. Cindy Mohammed, the bank’s manager, communications and corporate social responsibility, said customers should visit the bank’s Lowlands branch, where additional staff will be assigned to assist. She said transactions could also be conducted via the ATMs or online.

JETTY DESTROYED

Flood waters also entered entered the premises of the nearby Pizza Boys/Church’s Chicken outlet. Outside of Scarborough, there were reports that a house with seven persons trapped on the second floor, was partially flooded at Birchwood Triangle, Lowlands. A family of four also was also said to be trapped inside of their Rockly Vale home in Lambeau.

An overflowing bank also threatened a house at Darrel Spring, a small village near Scarborough. There are also unconfirmed reports that seven vessels sank near the Plymouth jetty while Roxborough villagers tried desperately to prevent boats from drifting away or being submerged by rising waters on the beachfront. The jetty was also destroyed.

The heavy rains, which began around 3 am, triggered a landslide which caused at least one house to collapse in Mason Hall. Adelphi Road was completely blocked because of the landslide.

The bad weather also felled trees and utility poles across the island. There were reports that several villages were without electricity since early yesterday morning, including Hope, Roxborough, Pembroke, Belle Garden and Mt St George.

Dunveygan Road, Whim, was completely inaccessible due to a fallen tree and utility pole.

Motorists were advised to use alternative routes and exercise caution. Fallen poles also were reported at Winchester Trace, Patience Hill.

Allan Stewart, Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) director, told Newsday the agency has received about 110 reports so far. “The incidents have been widespread,” he said.

SCARBOROUGH FLOODED

Saying Scarborough and the port experienced severe flooding, Stewart said by midday yesterday, they also received about 11 reports of residential flooding in Patience Hill, Lambeau and Spring Garden. He said fallen trees were reported in Pembroke, Concordia, Arnos Vale, Culloden.

Stewart added roadways were impacted by a number of landslides. He said the teams are still conducting damage assessments and needs analyses to quantify the damages.

“There are a number of critical reports that we received. In Mason Hall, we know there is a river and based on the erosion, a couple homes are exposed to being threatened.

“We know that there is a house in Mason Hall that completely collapsed. Also, there are reports of a roof being blown off in the Roxborough area and also in Pembroke.”

Stewart said the nine shelters are up and running. Asked what he considered to be the most critical incidents of the reports he has received thus far, Stewart said: “I think the loss of personal property is always significant and, therefore, we really empathise with the person who would have lost their dwelling house and those roofs that were blown off. I know there is also the area of flooding in some aspects. These are considered to be critical reports.”

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