UNDER WATER: The glow of streetlights reflect on flood waters at Independence Square, Port of Spain.
© Azlan MohammedUNDER WATER: The glow of streetlights reflect on flood waters at Independence Square, Port of Spain.
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) and regional corporations are expected to coordinate clean-up exercises today if the weather allows, after heavy torrential rainfall over the weekend, especially over the last 24 hours and yesterday afternoon, caused flash flooding in several areas across T&T.

An official at the T&T Meteorological Office said the heavy showers were as a result of a tropical wave passing over the island.

Up to press time there were reports of flooding along the southbound lane of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway, after the Claxton Bay flyover, before the Chase Village flyover on the northbound lane, Freeport, Couva, Carapichaima, Chaguanas, St Augustine, Breezy Heights in Mount Hope, along the Lady Young Road in Morvant, downtown Port-of-Spain, Wrightson Road, Cocorite and Diego Martin.


At about 4 pm, meteorologist Akil Nancoo, in an update, said that overnight and into today, T&T and the remainder of the Lesser Antilles will remain partly cloudy to cloudy with intermittent light to moderate showers. He added that there is the medium chance of a few heavy and thundery showers accompanied by gusty winds and continued street and flash flooding.

The T&T Guardian was told that the head of the Office of Disaster Preparedness Management, Neville Wint, was up to press time coordinating relief efforts with several municipal corporations, especially the Princes Town and Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporations, as areas there were said to be adversely affected by the heavy rains and floods.

At about 6.30 pm yesterday, the Diego Martin River was beginning to overflow its banks near Sinai Street in Petit Valley.

Several people also took to social media to post videos of flooding where they were, in particular, downtown Port-of-Spain, Woodbrook and Diego Martin.

FLOOD
A resident at the Mount Hope Housing Development Corporation's (HDC) Breezy Heights, who wished not to be named, said her apartment was flooded out.

"All inside our kitchen is water and all the walls water coming in. This is usually the case every time it rains and the rainy season is upon us," she said.

"I have made several reports to HDC and to the Breezy Heights Management Company and they are yet to do something. It is frustrating."

ODPM officials have urged drivers to exercise caution when driving on wet roads.

"Exercise caution along wet roads and prepare for possible flash flooding during the rainy season. Reduce your speeds on the wet roads! Slow down!" the ODPM said.