Scores of people across Trinidad and Tobago remain displaced even as floodwaters have begun receding following the passage of Tropical Storm Karen which barreled over the islands and across the Caribbean over the weekend.
The East / West corridor as well as parts of North, Central and South Trinidad and various areas across Tobago have been left inundated but there has been a notable difference as floodwaters appear to have subsided faster than in times gone by, at least according to an aerial view of affected areas.
Haunted by last year’s devastating flooding which crippled the daily operations of thousands of citizens for months to come, many were bracing for the storm’s aftermath. But when a crew from Guardian Media Limited took to the skies yesterday, the situation appeared less dire than what was anticipated.
Above parts of Caroni, pockets of water were seen. Just hours before these areas were drenched and water logged.
From the air, above Diego Martin and Port-of-Spain there was no evidence of the floodwaters that wreaked havoc on residents, however, the area’s watercourses appeared swollen from the recent runoff.
The situation was similar in Beetham Gardens.
While homeowners have been left counting their losses, they are thankful the floodwaters have subsided.
Further East, it was a sight of the blow dealt to the country’s food basket as acres of agricultural lands were left submerged. Farmers have since put their losses to the tune of nearly one million dollars.
Over in Tobago, there was no apparent indication that the island had been battered by the storm which resulted in over two hundred incidents being recorded, including flooding and downed trees.
From above, the only real clue of the extensive flooding was the murky waters flowing into popular beaches in Speyside and Plymouth.
An overhead assessment of flooding suggested the impact of the tropical storm, while it was widely felt up until now across the country, has receded significantly prior to times gone by.
