Flooding but no major damage in south Trinidad

Heavy overnight rain flooded several areas in south Trinidad, marooning people in their homes and making several roads impassable for hours.

But mid-morning, the sun was peeping out in Penal, and by midday, it was blazing hot.

There were no reports of damage to homes caused by the flooding in the area. By afternoon, the water started to subside in the Penal Rock Road and environs.

A resident from Best Trace said it had been raining slightly for the past three days. But she said when she woke up at 4 am on Thursday, it began raining heavily and nonstop until around 8 am.

She was grateful that so far, there were no reports of damage to property.

“The water reached knee-high in different parts on the Penal Rock Road. All up to the (Kubairsingh Hindu Primary) school, it has flood and cars cannot pass. If the rain continues, it will only get worse,” the woman said. “Thank God it is not as bad as the floods in China.”

The cemetery near Crawford Trace was flooded.

Alderman Hyacinth Rampersadsingh, of the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation, said there was flooding between Seemungal Trace Junction as far as the cemetery flooded.

But, she said, “The water is in the roads, not in homes. The sun started peeping out, and now we have hot sun. Around 1 am, the rains started falling and continued straight to this morning without stopping,” she said.

While the rains caused debris to block watercourses and culverts, she also said some people also contribute to flooding through illegal land development.

Rampersadsingh visisted some of the affected areas. She said members of the corporation disaster management unit had also been busy visiting them.

Many drivers had to find alternative routes in areas such as Dil Mohammed Trace and Sou Sou Lands.

There were reports of a fallen tree and a landslip in the area of Cachipe Village in Moruga.

Other parts of Moruga like Basse Terre and La Ruffin were also flooded.

Parts of Rochard Douglas Road in Barrackpore and Realize Road and Lothians Roads in Princes Town were also impassable.