Flooding, landslides, fallen trees in Tobago

Heavy rains over the weekend resulted in several areas across Tobago experiencing street flooding, landslides and fallen trees.

While he was unable to give a number, Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) director Allan Stewart on Monday told Newsday his team had responded to several incident reports.

“We had a couple reports between Saturday and today – a fallen tree in Union Village and Les Coteaux, a landslide blocking the Mt Dillon Hill, also report in Golden Lane, Mt Thomas, Mary’s Hill. We also had some potential flooding in the Golden Lane area.”

No injuries were reported.

Since Friday the TT Met Office has been forecasting showers and the medium chance of thundershowers. This was updated on Monday to; partly cloudy and hazy with showers occurring in few areas. It assessed that there was also a 40-60 per cent chance of isolated heavy showers and thunderstorms.

Stewart said it was natural that as a result of the downpour that slopes were very unstable.

“We have the potential of these slippages taking place – fallen trees, collapsed houses is possible during this period because of the amounts of water in the soil.”

He is advising people to keep a "grab and go bag" or emergency kit ready, and improve their family emergency plans.

"Also the various sectors – public-sector emergency plans, schools, business places – so that they have the necessary contingency plans in place.”