A 31-year-old Tacarigua woman escaped serious injury when a tree fell on her car near Valsayn, while she was on her way to work around 6 am yesterday.
The mishap occurred near Valpark Shopping Plaza as the woman drove along the westbound lane of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.
The tree was said to have fallen as a result of the gusty winds which began occurring from as early as 4 am yesterday.
Although she suffered minor "aches and pains," relatives confirmed the woman was traumatised by the unfortunate incident.
Grateful for the outpouring of support and love from members of the public who stopped to render assistance to her daughter, the mother of the injured woman yesterday said, "People looked beyond race and politics in this situation and we are most grateful."
During a brief telephone interview around 2.30 pm, the mother declined to reveal her daughter's name, and also asked that she not be identified, in order to ensure the family's privacy.
However, she went on to say that her daughter had been released from the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, as she was "out of danger."
Admitting that the "very private" young woman had been left shaken up, the mother recounted her daughter's experience as she said, "My daughter told us it was unbelievable as the branch just came from nowhere, in front of her car, and fell on it. She said, I couldn't do anything to stop or avoid it."
The mother added, "We are just happy to have her home safe and sound."
According to a weather bulletin issued by the Met Office around 8.20 am yesterday, the inclement weather was caused by an area of low pressure interacting with the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone, which was further affected by a favourable upper level flow from a weather system located to the south of the Windward Islands.
The weather disturbance reportedly began around 5 am, as the system moved towards the west-northwest, producing cloudy to overcast conditions with periods of rain and showers.
Warning of street and flash flooding, Met Office officials also said citizens could expect strong bursts of gusty winds in excess of 45 km per hour.
As trees fell and power and cable lines came down in several areas from Toco to Diego Martin between 4 am and 11.30 am, officials from several regional corporations were called upon to provide assistance from as early as 4 am in some areas.
Officials of the Disaster Management Unit of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) said while the Valsayn incident contributed to a major traffic pile-up along the westbound lane, the fallen tree was removed by 8.30 am, easing the congestion considerably.
Even as officers concentrated on clearing the debris at that site, reports were received of fallen trees in the vicinity of the Hugh Wooding Law School and the Lakshmi Girls Hindu School, while homes in Curepe, Maloney and Lopinot reported damage sustained as a result of falling trees.
Officials of regional corporations said in all the incidents, assistance was rendered and tarpaulins provided to the affected families.
Both officials from the TPRC and the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation (SGRC) agreed that this type of weather was normal during the rainy season and that similar type of activity could be expected as the month continued.
Reporting rough seas generally, along with fallen trees between Rampanalgas and Matelot, SGRC chairman Terry Rondon said they were advising citizens to "batten down the hatches," even as the corporation stocked up on emergency supplies to assist people in the event of further adverse weather.
Although the Port-of-Spain Regional Corporation reported fallen trees in several areas including Belmont, no damage or fatalities were otherwise recorded.
However, they were not able to confirm a report of a blown transformer in the vicinity of the Westshore Medical Hospital.
Officials at the Diego Martin Regional Corporation said they had received approximately six calls for assistance.
Roofs were reportedly blown off homes at Nicholas Street, Maraval and La Puerta; while fallen trees were reported at the La Puerta Government Primary School; Paramin; and Sea View, Carenage.
Officials of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation reported fallen trees along the Lady Young Road, which contributed to a major traffic pile-up as motorists were forced to seek alternative routes into and out of the capital.
Six homes in the San Juan and Laventille areas reportedly lost their roofs as a result of the gusty winds, while a tree reportedly fell across Saddle Road, Maraval, further exacerbating the traffic situation.