South spared bad weather caused by Beryl

WITH Trinidad still under a tropical storm warning, people in south have been monitoring the weather and taking precautions on July 1.

There were no reports of incidents associated with Hurricane Beryl up to the afternoon. Although the south was overcast, the rain was intermittent and there were no reports of flooding.

Chairman of the Princes Town Regional Corporation (PTRC) Gowie Roopnarine said a tree fell in Piparo, but the villagers cleared it within half an hour. Apart from that, there were no reports in the corporation's district, which includes areas like Moruga, Williamsville, Ste Madeleine, and Corinth.

Roopnarine told Newsday that from June 30, the corporation began distributing sandbags in preparation for the bad weather.

“Today we again gave out bags. We have two distribution centres, the Malgretoute stockpile and the Moruga sub-office. I know lots of people have been collecting today, but yesterday within two hours, a few hundred bags were given out,” Roopnarine said.

“We do not like to have too much in stock, because when it remains, it could cause health hazards, as rats could burst the bags. So as people come, we fill bags and give them.

"It was business as usual, and let us hope and pray it remains that way.”

He said members of the disaster management unit (DMU) had been in the field and monitoring the weather.

Chairman of the Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation Raymond Cozier told Newsday there were no reports of any incidents, which he described as a blessing.

He added that DMU members were arranging to deactivate shelters.

In San Fernando, there were also no reports of any incidents.