Mayaro/Rio Claro corp: Brace for more rains, floods

News Rishard Khan 5 Minutes Ago

Raymond Cozier -

Heavy rains and strong winds blew off roofs and flooded homes in the Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation's municipality and with tributaries still high, its chairman, Raymond Cozier, is urging residents to be prepared for floods if rains continue.

Giving an update to Newsday on August 7, Cozier said the early morning strong winds and showers on August 7 led to six homes being flooded in Guayaguyare, seven homes' roofs blown off between Guayaguyare and New Grant and a tree falling on a home in the Radix Village.

"Our DMU (disaster management teams) were out all day. The Fire Service came out and helped us too."

He said the families whose roofs were blown off were given a tarpaulin, with one being able to get lumber from a sawmill in Mafeking to effect repairs. He said mattresses were also given to affected families. Despite the incidents, he said no one was injured.

He said that although rivers were still high by the evening, most of the floodwaters had receded from homes, with just some roads still inundated but passable to vehicles.

Cozier said the DMU remained on standby with sandbags should any further rain come down on the already-filled rivers. He said sandbags were also being made available at sub-offices in Biche, Mayaro and Rio Claro or would be delivered on request. Despite that, he called on residents to be prepared.

"Our teams are out there prepared to respond as we have been responding over the years but again we want to remind people those who are living in flood-prone areas, you know your district, you know your area, you know your community, you know what happens with extended rainfall. Today we are grateful that tide was low so the water was able to subside...quick. If the tides were high, that would have been a different story. I am reminding the communities. You know your condition, you know your situation so don't wait until the thing happen to respond."

Although the TT Meteorological Service did not issue an adverse weather warning, its forecast at 6 am warned of a 60 per cent (medium) chance of heavy showers or thunderstorm activity, with conditions expected to become more settled by evening. It also warned that gusty winds and street/flash flooding may occur in/near heavy showers/thunderstorms.