(TRINIDAD GUADIAN) National Security Minister Stuart Young estimates that some 3,500 households and between 100,000 and 120,000 persons were affected by flooding across T&T over the weekend.
Government-led clean-up operations have begun in most communities across T&T that were devastated by flooding.
Speaking at a joint press conference at his Temple Court office in Port-of-Spain earlier today, National Security and Communications Minister Stuart Young said flood waters had receded in areas of La Horquetta, St Helena, Caroni, Cunupia and Sangre Grande.
However, Young said members of the protective services were still performing rescue operations in areas of Mafeking, Mayaro, and Bamboo Settlement, Valsayn, as they were still under water.
“Some of the outskirts are still affected but most are not,” Young said.
Young said staff and equipment from regional corporations, the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and Cepep were deployed in areas where floods had receded to assist citizens with clean-up activity.
In terms of the Uriah Bulter Highway, which was impassable in the stretch from the Caroni Bird Sanctuary to just before Munroe Road Flyover heading south for most of the weekend, Young said the northbound lane near to the Caroni Bird Sanctuary was cleared and still being used as a dual carriageway. He said the southbound lane only had a small amount of water and that the T&T Police Service (TTPS) had opened it to high vehicles.
Young warned citizens living along Trinidad’s east coast that about one to two kilometres of the Manzanilla-Mayaro Road was still under water.
Asked whether he noticed if river levels had dropped during his aerial tours of the affected areas, Young said yes.
However, he noted that it was up to the T&T Meteorological Service to determine if the country’s red-level riverine flood alert was to be lifted over the next few days.