SITUATION UPDATE # 6

Flood waters subside in most areas; damage assessments and clean up continue

Update on Flooding

• Water levels in the Caroni and other Rivers are subsiding.
• Most of the flood waters in the affected areas, have subsided. However, Bamboo Settlement # 2 is still flooded at this time and the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure’s Drainage Division has been pumping water out from the area.

Land slippage

The following areas experienced landslips/landslides over the past 24 hours. These are being addressed:

• LP #63 Quarry Rd., San Juan;
• North Coast Road (fallen tree and land slippage in the vicinity of Maracas lookout);

Roadways

• Orange Grove Road in St Augustine South has been cleared of downed poles and debris and is now open to vehicular traffic.

Damaged roofs, bridges and roadways, land slippages and fallen trees that were previously reported are being addressed by the Municipal Corporations and Ministry of Works and Infrastructure (MOWI).

Summary of actions taken:

As the Tunapuna Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) was the most impacted region over the last few days, the ODPM met with the Chairman of the TPRC, Khadija Ameen and other technocrats from the TPRC. The results are as follows:

• The event has officially been reverted to a Level 1. This means that the  TPRC will oversee the coordination of efforts;
• The Ministry of the People and Social Development (MPSD) will continue to conduct damage assessments; these are necessary in order get  a true assessment of damages that were incurred by citizens;
• The TPRC will conduct clean-up operations (debris collection and wash downs), in coordination with groups from the CEPEP;
• The ODPM’s role returns to monitoring and not coordination.

Shelter/Relocation

Residents in the following areas were given the opportunity to be relocated to the public emergency shelter, but declined:

1. Spring Village;
2. Bamboo Settlement;
3. Spring Lands;
4. Valsayn South;
5. St Helena.

The Tunapuna/ Piarco Regional Corporation has closed the Eastern Indoor Sporting Complex, Tacarigua which was prepared as a temporary emergency shelter but not utilised.

We remind citizens to take extra care when cleaning and sanitising areas which were impacted by flood waters.

Issued by:-

Public Information, Education and Community Outreach Unit

640 1285 / publicinfo.odpm@gmail.com