MET office issues warning as Caroni River swells

Residents of Central Trinidad have once again been put on the alert by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Meteorological Service of TT to be on the alert as flooding may occur as the Caroni River is close to overflowing its banks.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday afternoon, meteorologist at the MET Office at Piarco Shakeer Baig confirmed that the Caparo River burst its banks, and that water was as high as three feet in some places. In a flood bulletin issued at 5.40 pm from the MET Office, Baig stated that “widespread rainfall over TT had produced flooding in the Caparo River Basin, and the water level in the Caroni River is very high from the rainfall.”

More rainfall was expected throughout last night and today, as cloudy conditions associated with the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) lingers over TT, the Caroni River is expected to overflow its banks, if it has not already done so. Baig urged all residents in the Caparo River Basin to “take all precautions against the rising flood waters” and for residents along the Caroni River “to take precautions for the possibility of flooding.”

A check with MET officials around 5.30 pm revealed that water in some places along the Caroni River was as high as 30 feet. In a weather bulletin from NEMA, the agency advised that due to the Caparo River flooding its banks, places such as Todd’s Road near the Caroni compound, Caparo Valley Road and Caparo Main Road were under water. Additional information claimed that first response services which included the TT Fire Service and the Police Service had been mobilised at around noon to begin assisting residents. The Regional Corporations have all been alerted and will render assistance where necessary, NEMA stated.