As the region prepares for Hurricane Beryl, the Ministry of Health says they have “activated a comprehensive preparedness plan to ensure minimal disruption of services across the health sector.”
Islands from Grenada to St Lucia, including Barbados, were under a Hurricane Warning, while Tobago and Martinique were placed under a Tropical Storm Warning. Dominica remained under Tropical Storm Watch. Trinidad is expecting heavy rainfall.
The ministry said their Health Emergency Operations Centre has been activated since June 3 due to the mass gatherings related to the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup and has now been extended to include both preparedness and response to Hurricane Beryl.
Additionally, the ministry said, they “continue to liaise with all regional health authorities to safeguard its facilities and ensure continuity of service and service delivery.”
They are also urging the public to minimise the threat of water and vector-borne diseases associated with flooding.
ODPM monitoring and supporting other agencies
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), the co-ordinating agency for disaster preparedness and management, said they are monitoring and supporting the efforts of the Disaster Management Units (DMU) of the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), other arms of the Ministry of National Security, and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). The ODPM said the National Emergency Operations Centre was on standby in the event there was a need to activate in order to manage and co-ordinate nationally and regionally.
Local Govt: Sandbags are available at all 14 corporations
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government co-ordinated a meeting with relevant stakeholders yesterday morning to address their level of preparedness for current and forecast weather conditions over the next several days. The Local Government Ministry said currently, “There is significant soil saturation, which will intensify the increasing risks of landslips with slow water runoff, leading to increased risks of flooding.”
According to the ministry, sandbags are available for collection at all 14 municipal corporations, and for those interested, contact the Disaster Management Unit in the respective corporations.
Both the ministry and Ministry of Works and Transport have “spotted assets along the North Coast Road and other areas that are prone to landslides,” while the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Housing Development Corporation, with other agencies, said flood pumps are operational and “they are prepared.”
The ministry said all assets are on standby to support corporations affected by landslides, fallen trees, and flash flooding, with all municipal corporations’ Disaster Management Units on standby.
They add, “The public is urged to use the preparatory time of today into tomorrow to clear drains and water passages on their properties of debris, to report blockage or risk issues in their communities, to store water, and to have supplies as water turbidity involves the potential stoppage of water treatment plants.”