Heavy rains cause flash flooding in west, south Trinidad

There were reports of flash and street flooding in several areas in west and south Trinidad after some heavy afternoon showers on September 2.

Some affected areas in the West included Maraval along Saddle Road and in Perseverance, Diego Martin and Santa Cruz. In the South were the north-bound lane of the San Fernando By-pass with up to five inches of water, South Park, Blanche Fraser Street and Union Hall.

San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris told Newsday the San Fernando City Corporation’s disaster preparedness unit confirmed flash flooding in parts of Marabella as well as Scott Street and Pleasantville in San Fernando.

He said the water receded as soon as the rain stopped and there were no reports of damage.

“We did a drain and flood mitigation programme between March and May of which Cepep (Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme) was an integral part. But we are in the rainy season, and without constant routine maintenance the grass will grow quickly.”

He said the corporation retained about ten former Cepep employees as casual workers who had been maintaining several areas including, with the help of people in the community, Pleasantville Government Primary School. He said if they had not done that, the school would not have been able to open on schedule next week.

He believed the country was in a public-health crisis.

“We can’t predict the weather patterns, where the rain will come from but with the limited equipment that we have in the city corporation we try to do as best as we can in the city of San Fernando.”