Cops/soldiers on lookout for looters

Police and army officers carried out patrols throughout the country in the event of looting and lawlessness. Minister of National Security Martin Joseph made it clear that the security agencies will not tolerate any lawlessness. He said that the security forces will ensure that the business places will be protected. At 11 am, Hurricane Ivan was 110 km east of Grenada and NEMA advised that citizens should stay indoors.

Winds were reported to be packing 200 km per hour and roofs were blown off in Barbados. In Toco, the sea was reported to have flooded roads making some areas impassable. The Toco Regional Corporation was called in to remove fallen trees from some parts of Toco. Fire officers who were accommodated at the Toco Composite School were deployed to several parts of the area to deal with emergency situations. Residents of Toco and Mayaro reported that from as early as 8 am, they were awakened by the sound of the roaring sea followed by monster waves. The waves were as high as 10 feet.

Residents of Biche also experienced massive flooding due to consistent rainfall. The Met Office was bombarded with calls from members of the public who wanted to find out about the status of Hurricane Ivan. At 11 am, there were no flights in and out of Piarco, and Prime Minister Patrick Manning advised the population to take all the necessary precautions. The North West Regional Health Authority advised the public that all its hospitals including Port-of-Spain General Hospital, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, St Ann’s Hospital, Mount Hope Women’s Hospital and the Accident and Emergency Departments were open. The El Socorro and Barataria Health Centres were designated emergency shelters. Defence Force officers as well as the police and fire officers remained on standby to assist.