tidings
A Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) vehicle parked to block vehicles trying to drive through a flooded section of the road to Turtle Beach on Wednesday. – David Reid
The various arms of the Infrastructure, Careers and Urban Development Division (DIQUD) are working in collaboration with the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) to get Tobago back to normal by Monday.
In a press conference on Friday, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said DIQUD staff and machinery have been deployed and will work through the weekend. Infrastructure Secretary Trevor James is in charge of major jobs while Assistant Secretary Joel Sampson is handling minor clean-up operations.
Augustini said almost 70 people from ten families had to be displaced due to damage from tropical wave Invest #91L. These families are from Delaford, Cradley, Rockly Vale, Les Coteaux, Golden Lane, Belle Garden, Bacolet, Castara and Mt Pleasant.
Agustin said what was worrying was the inability of public infrastructure to withstand the effects of the tropical wave.
“We’re looking at public infrastructure that really, really can’t be raised. All we had was heavy rain over a two day period. We had some strong winds about two nights ago, but mostly what we had was heavy rain.
“If we are seeing these challenges, I am very concerned about the state of our public and private infrastructure. The last thing I would want to happen to Tobago is a repeat of Hurricane Flora.
Flora, with winds of 193 km/h (120 mph), struck Tobago as a Category 3 storm on September 30, 1963. According to data from www.hurricanescience.org, Flora’s fury caused 6,250 of the island’s 7,500 homes to be damaged . or destroyed. He also took 24 lives.
“As an island, we need to take a look at how we build, our infrastructure, our maintenance regimes, how we prepare for these types of events.”
Augustine also urged Tobagonians to be mindful of how and where they build their homes. He said he is aware that many people do not have land titles and are unable to get loans from the bank, so they build based on limited resources, but he said that if certain standards are not met, then disaster will be inevitable. .
Augustini said the main objective of the disaster response was to deal with landslides on major roads to allow traffic to flow. He said agencies will now move to different communities to help those affected on a smaller scale.
He said there have been 326 reports in TEMA since the tropical wave hit on Wednesday – 50 percent landslides, 16 percent flooding.
Mason Hall/Moriah constituency representative Ian Pollard was on the ground in his constituency on Friday assessing the damage and clean-up operations.
“The roads are clean in this constituency,” he said. “We are happy about the sunshine. DIQUD did a wonderful job removing the slush and debris.”
James also gave an update on the work of his division.
“The northern road is passable… Basically, the Highlands are clear. The guys out there are waiting for some sunshine to get the slush off. Culloden Bay, a rig broke and it’s waiting for parts….We’re working through the weekend….We’ve got a crew in Plymouth Bay… Overall, we’re on the ball.”
Augustine said 90 percent of schools have been hit by the bad weather, with some’s sewage systems also affected.
He praised the work of TEMA, which he hailed as “the best disaster management agency in the Caribbean”.
See also
He said THA was able to make timely decisions because TEMA was better prepared and better informed.
He said that even though the predictions are not accurate, “we choose to err on the side of caution.”
TEMA Director Allan Stewart said the agency’s response to natural disasters comes at a cost.
“We have been in contact with ZPDM, which is also looking at the list of our needs. I pointed out earlier, within the last 28 days, this is the second type of activation that we have had to undertake – taxes on the resources that we have.
“So to maintain a state of readiness for the next possible event, we need to recharge.”
Stewart said that’s important since hurricane season isn’t over.
While he was unable to give a figure for the damage caused by the tropical wave, Augustini said the resources allocated to alleviate the damage will affect Tobago’s development plan.
“No Finance Secretary wants to take a second look at a fiscal year’s work program because of a natural disaster, but it becomes a priority.
Augustine said a THA subcommittee has been formed to help with the social response. “We don’t want any delays when it comes to responding to families in need,” he said.
