Severe weather causes flooding in city

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Charles Kong Soo

There was flash flooding in Port-of-Spain and several parts of north Trinidad caused by heavy showers and thunderstorms yesterday.

Commuters were stranded at City Gate as South Quay was inundated with floodwaters. Flash floods also occurred at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, parts of Ariapita Avenue, in the vicinity of Carlos Street, O’Connor Street in Woodbrook, as well as along the Lady Young Road in Morvant.

The T&T Meteorological Service had earlier issued an adverse weather alert, warning of a 70 per cent chance of heavy showers and thunderstorms. The severe weather was triggered by a surface to low-level trough that moved across both islands, with favourable mid-to upper-level conditions. A strong wind shear kept much of the activity brief and mainly east of Trinidad.

The forecast is for heavy to violent showers and thunderstorms today which is capable of producing street or flash flooding, mainly in the south Trinidad and localized areas of western Trinidad.

Citizens have been advised to be on the alert for frequent lightning and heavy rainfall that might trigger street or flash flooding accompanied by gusty winds.

Katty Christopher, Coordinator of the Disaster Management, Diego Martin Regional Corporation said there were no reports of flooding in that area yesterday, while the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) said there were no incidents of flooding in central and south Trinidad yesterday.

Jerry David, Senior Disaster Management Coordinator at the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, said there had been reports of flooding in Morvant and while “the river had not inundated, however, the capacity of the river was still high” up to late yesterday.