MEDIA RELEASE

RELIEF AND RECOVERY EFFORTS CONTINUE IN SOUTH TRINIDAD FOLLOWING SEVERE WEATHER

On Thursday August 15, 2019 and Tuesday August 20, 2019 various communities in south Trinidad were impacted by heavy rainfall and high winds. Homes within the following municipal corporations were impacted by the severe weather:  Siparia Regional Corporation, Penal/Debe Regional Corporation, Point Fortin Regional Corporation and the Princes Town Regional Corporation, with Rousillac Village, Siparia being particularly affected.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), as the lead agency for Disaster Risk Management continued to coordinate relief and recovery efforts today (August 22, 2019) in the affected communities through mobilisation of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS) and the Engineering Battalion of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) as well as with the collaboration of the Disaster Management Units (DMUs) of the respective Municipal Corporations.

Fire Service personnel along with the 1^st Engineering Battalion Damage Assessment Teams of the TTDF supported the completion of the Initial Damage Assessments (IDAs) conducted by the DMU and assisted with the distribution of relief in affected communities. The 1^st Engineering Battalion Damage Assessment Teams also effected emergency repairs to some homes and have begun the detailed damage assessments of all residents who were affected.

The ODPM has received fifty-seven (57) confirmed reports in the following communities: Santa Flora, South Oropouche, Fyzabad, Syne Village, Thick Village, Guapo, Parrylands, San Francique, Aripero and Rousillac Village.  

The ODPM will continue to coordinate recovery efforts through the support of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF), the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services (TTFS) and the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government (MoRDLG) to ensure the necessary resources are mobilised to bring a sense of normalcy to affected families in the shortest possible timeframe.
 

Photo 1: Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force 1^ST Engineering Battalion support the reconstruction of homes in the Rousillac Village, Siparia following severe weather.

Photo 2:  Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force support residents in their reconstruction and recovery efforts in south Trinidad following severe weather.

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Issued by:

Public Information, Education and Community Outreach Unit

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management

For further information, please call:

ODPM’s Customer Call Centre 511/ TEMA’s Hotline 211