By Sue-Ann Wayow

 THE bad weather being experienced across the country will continue until Friday.

The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Services (TTMS) again extended the yellow level alert on Thursday evening to Friday at 4 pm.

The riverine orange alert also remains in effect until Friday at 6 pm, especially for the Caroni and the South Oropouche Basins.

Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen said on Thursday that the main focus will be on ensuring secondary school pupils get to their examination centres on time.

She also urged citizens to exercise caution, especially in flooded areas.

“I want to urge residents as the orange level alert continue, to remain indoors during the periods of heavy rain and high winds, avoid flooded roadways and rivers. Don’t be a hero and try to drive through a roadway that is flooded. Your car could really wash away.”

Ameen gave an update on the flooding situation on Thursday at the post-Cabinet media briefing.

She said there were several reports of flooding, mainly in Sangre Grande. She said there were 18 reports of fallen trees in the Diego Martin and Sangre Grande regions, three major landslides along the North Coast Road and two completely collapsed roadways at Poole Village, Rio Claro and Heights of Aripo in Arima.

“We have dispatched engineering teams to make recommendations so that we could immediately make provisions for residents to access their homes,” Ameen said.

There were also reports of eight damaged roofs in Port of Spain, Princes Town, Siparia and Rio Claro regions and one fire reported in Princes Town.

Ameen said she spoke with Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath who coordinated to ensure that transportation was available to pupils most affected by flooding to make sure that every pupil was able to attend school to sit the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) exam despite the widespread flooding.

Transport was provided in the form of troop carriers from the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, the regional corporations provided trucks and the disaster management units provided dinghies or small boats, she said.

The minister reported that pupils were transported from Las Lomas to Chaguanas schools, the Tunapuna Piarco Corporation municipal police provided escort for pupils from Cunupia to Laskmi Girls’ High School and St Francios Girls, boats and trucks were deployed in Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC), Sangre Grande, Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) and Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation (CTTRC).

Ameen said, “We have CAPE examinations continuing tomorrow and all support systems will remain in place to ensure that students arrive safely. These are compulsory A level exams. It is important for all our Form Six students. We give you parents the assurance that we will ensure that your child gets to school and they write their exams and we will give you the full support to ensure that that is done.”

Additionally, Dr Dowlath instructed the National Schools Dietary Services Ltd  to distribute 392 meals to areas – 171 to PDRC, TPRC – 120, CTTRC – 100.

“These meals were provided  by caterers on the school feeding programme but these meals went to support students, first responders, volunteers and marooned persons. We appreciate that and it also meant that a conversation has started in incorporating the school nutrition programme in our planning for disaster preparedness and reaching out to those in times of flooding,” Ameen said.

Also, 450 sandbags were distributed across affected regions between Wednesday and Thursday.

“Sandbags are available at every regional corporation. Please do not wait until the water is at your doorstep to get your sandbags,” Ameen also said.

She said, “We are very concerned with increased potential of flood damage to homes, collapsed roadways that have been weakened over time by small landslips, damage to crops and livestock and the well-being of our society as a whole.”

Minister of Works and Transport Jearlean John said her ministry was heavily involved in assessments with checks being done on gate structures to ensure no leakages or backflows in specific areas such as the Piarco Airport and Bamboo Settlement  No.2.

Prioritisation was being given to infrastructure for roads, bridges and slopes.

Ameen also thanked Prime  Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar who she said had the foresight to start prepping for the rainy season early and all the local government councillors and workers for the daily ground work they were doing.

She said since work started last month, following the launch of the inter-ministerial flood mitigation programme, improvements were noted such as faster run off water time, not as many homes were flooded and the danger was less severe.