Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen says "all systems are go" as government agencies respond to the inclement weather to mitigate flooding impacts.
"On the instruction of the Honourble Prime Minister, all of us- the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Agriculture- are currently on the ground and we are actively monitoring and responding immediately to situations of flooding."
She said teams began work on May 17 and worked until around 2 am on May 18 to clear blocked water courses, remove downed trees, operate flood gates and pumps and assess the situation on the ground.
Reports on social media showed street flooding was ongoing at Endeavour in Chaguanas, Maracas Royal Road, Akbar Street in Charlieville, Saddle Road in Lower Santa Cruz and Maraval, the Eastern Main Road in San Juan, Carapo Valley Brasso Road in Mamoral and Freeman Road in St Augustine, among others.
In an update to her Facebook page, councillor for Quinam/Morne Diablo Sarah Sookdeo said street flooding was ongoing along the Penal Rock Road in the vicinity of "Addie Coco" but the road was still passable to vehicles.
Cocal/Mafeking councillor Renelle Kissoon told Newsday there was some flooding in Guppy Hill Trace, Union Village, Mayaro on May 16, but water had subsided. She said the Mafeking area had not yet been flooded, but anticipated that waters could rise over the next few days with constant rainfall. She said the area is prone to riverine flooding.
"We know how much water we could expect to come into the Ortoire River and usually with three days of rainfall, that's a bad sign for us. We are hoping for the best and for now, the best situation I guess would be low tide when the rian stops so as much water could run out as possible."
According to the Met Office, low tide is expected around 2.10 pm.
Ameen said that up to midday, most flooding was isolated to streets, and none of the country's major water courses were near capacity. A 10.30 am update from her ministry showed the Caroni River was the most filled at 55 per cent capacity. Caroni Tumpuna was at 51 per cent, Diego Martin River at 47 per cent, Arouca River at 47 per cent, and South Oropouche River at 30 per cent. All other major watercourses were at 40 per cent or less.
The Met Office issued a yellow level adverse weather alert for Trinidad and Tobago on May 16 and was scheduled to run from 6 pm on May 17 to 6 pm on May 18. However, it was later extended with a new end date of 6 pm on May 19.
"There is a high (80 per cent) chance of periods of intermittent rainfall of varying intensities and isolated thunderstorms over Trinidad, especially across southern and central areas, where recent rainfall has already saturated some locations," the updated alert said on May 18.
The Minister of Rural Development and Local Government urged the public to utilise the hotlines at their respective regional corporations to request assistance and inform of any possible hazards.
She lamented the state of the nation's wat
