Monster ‘tsunami’waves hit Maracas Bay

Fears that a mini tsunami was taking place caused bathers and vendors to flee to high ground as the waves crashed against the shoreline, flooding the car park and then crossing the North Coast Road into the bake and shark stalls.

Baskets of food, alcohol, clothing and other valuables were washed away by the raging monster waves which lashed against the shoreline from as early as 9 am.

People who parked their vehicles in the car park, abandoned their vehicles and ran towards the North Coast Road in amazement.

The flooding of the beach resulted in mass chaos as vehicles were flooded and Maracas Bay vendors were in tears as most of their food and beverages were also lost in the flood waters.

Kirk Norton, a senior lifeguard supervisor who was in charge of 18 lifeguards at the Maracas Bay, said that the last time he witnessed such an event was 11 years ago.

He said that at about 9 am, the monster waves appeared out of nowhere in the normally calm sea. They began gaining speed as they rushed towards the shore.

People who were bathing began screaming as they ran out of the water with assistance from the lifeguards.

"It was like a scene out of Asia when the tsunami struck there," said one lifeguard.

He added that the monster waves started lashing the shoreline almost every three minutes, causing the water to flood the car park and then the North Coast Road.

More than 200 persons were affected by the unusual incident.

Lifeguard officers used a siren to warn people to flee the beach. The bake and shark vendors grabbed what they could and moved to higher ground. Some cars were immersed in over three feet of water.

Officers of the Maracas Bay Police Station went to the scene and helped to take control of the situation.Fishermen at Las Cuevas Bay and others along the north coast were forced to hurriedly move their boats and nets to land.

Concerned fishermen in Las Cuevas said that just after 11 am the clouds darkened and the waves began roaring noisily.

They added that this was followed by monster waves as high as eight feet. Some boats were damaged by the waves and pushed towards trees and land.

Fishermen said that this was the second time in two years that they witnessed monster waves in the north coast.

They complained that they received no prior warning of a change in the weather pattern, and believe that if this were done, then they may have been able to save some boats and nets.

Checks with the Maracas Bay Police Station revealed that bathers entering Maracas were informed of the rough seas and told to avoid going into the area.

A massive traffic pile-up followed.

Lifeguards were also kept busy informing potential bathers about the rough sea.

By 4 pm yesterday, the flood waters began receding.

No one was injured as a result of the unusual situation at the north coast.

A resident of Las Cuevas who identified himself only as Andre said that people were blaming the full moon for the weather pattern yesterday, while others claimed that it was part of the unusual weather patterns being experienced worldwide.

The Met Office at Piarco said that bulletins were sent out yesterday at 3 pm. They stated that rough seas in excess of three metres were being experienced along the North Coast of Trinidad and west coast of Tobago. These conditions were expected to persist for the next 12 to 18 hours.

Small craft operators and sea bathers along the affected coast of Trinidad and Tobago, were advised to exercise extreme caution when venturing into these waters.

The Met Office revealed that it is yet to determine what was responsible for the rough seas.