[UPDATED] Contractor called in to look at eroded Caroni River bank

The Ministry of Works and Transport has assigned a private contractor to assess an eroding embankment of the Caroni riverbank to do emergency works to avert possible disaster.

The contractor, Vigai Persad of V&V Contracting, visited the site at Jacobin Drive, Ibis Gardens, Caroni, on Friday evening and spoke to residents who witnessed almost 20 feet of the embankment collapse overnight into the swollen river.

Persad said significant work had to be done to widen the river at the bend where it is threatening to overspill on both sides, but the volume of water made it difficult to do any work immediately.

He said once the rainfall holds up, his company will begin to mobilise heavy equipment and bring in boulders and other material which can help support the weakened riverbank.

A group of residents gathered at the site on Friday evening pleading for authorities to take immediate action as over 150 homes were in immediate danger of being flooded or even washed away.

Engineers from the Ministry of Works and Transport and two officers of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation visited the site on Friday.

Other areas along New Street Extension are also in need of urgent repair as the river is flowing as close as six inches away from the road.

In a telephone interview, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said the ministry's engineers are aware of the problem, but residents said they had not seen any staff from the ministry on Thursday night or Friday morning.

Residents who live close by said the bank began to erode about two months ago and they made numerous reports to the ministry.

They fear, with more rainfall predicted, the remaining berm will totally collapse and the main course of the river will flow through the development, causing havoc.

Some residents have already removed their cars and put household items at higher levels.

They are pleading for immediate assistance to erect a temporary steel-sheet barricade supported by concrete piles to prevent the berm from being further eroded.

Local government councillor Richard Rampersad and Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally have both been in touch with residents as the river threatens to overspill in several other areas.

On Friday Rampersad said the situation was a potential risk to life and limb, and called on the ministry to take immediate steps to alleviate the fears of Caroni and Ibis Gardens residents.

This story was originally published with the title "Caroni River bank collapses at Ibis Gardens" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

A significant portion of the Caroni riverbank collapsed overnight north of Ibis Gardens, a Housing Development Corporation site south of the river, sparking panic among residents.

Approximately 20 feet of the riverbank was washed away near a bend in the swollen river near Jacobin Drive.

An emergency crew from the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation's disaster management crew took footage of the damaged area.

Disaster is feared if the rest of the berm collapses.

Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said in a telephone interview that the ministry's engineers are aware of the problem, but residents said they had not seen any staff from the ministry on Friday morning or Thursday night.

Residents who live close by said the bank began to erode about two months ago and they made numerous reports to Ministry of Works.

They fear with more rainfall predicted, the remaining berm will totally collapse and the main course of the river will flow through the development, causing havoc. The Met Office has forecast more rain.

Some residents have already began to remove their cars and put household items at higher levels.

They are pleading for immediate assistance to erect a temporary steel sheet barricade supported by concrete piles to prevent the berm from being further eroded.

Local government councillor Richard Rampersad and Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally have both been in touch with residents as the Caroni River threatens to overspill in several other areas, such as New Street Extension, where the bank is a mere six inches from the road.

In an interview on Friday, Rampersad said the situation was a potential risk to life and limb, and called on the Works Ministry to take immediate steps to alleviate the fears of the residents of Caroni and Ibis Gardens.