Port of Spain mayor Joel Martinez said work is being carried out to clear the drains under the Port of Spain market so that the water which has pooled on Abattoir Road will subside. These flood waters have been causing heavy traffic for vehicles entering and leaving Port of Spain since Wednesday.
He told Newsday that he visited the area on Friday evening and realised there was a lot of pooling of water.
“I was told originally that it was the pumps in the area that had no diesel and weren’t working but I was informed that it was the drains under the market being clogged and not being cleaned for some time. We sent out the engineering team from the council to look at it. I was told by the CEO that the team couldn’t determine if it was the drains because there was too much water.
“I spoke to the minister again who indicated the pumps were not the problem as there was not sufficient water for the pumps to take it out, they had been working for the last three days, and it was only this morning that they had to reprime the pumps and do a slight overhaul.
"He said it was that the drains needed to be cleaned so I reached back out to the corporation CEO to ask her to send the engineering teams back out there so the drains could be cleaned with immediate effect and the waters could subside.”
Martinez said he had reached out to the corporation CEO on Wednesday when he had initially heard about the traffic problems and thought the matter had been dealt with.
MP Keith Scotland said there had been no reports of flooding in St James and Woodbrook with the rains over the past two days. He said an investigation would be carried out into the root causes of the flooding at Abattoir Road. He noted two members of the joint select committee he was a part of on Friday were delayed because of the traffic caused by the issue.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, speaking at the NWRHA's influenza vaccination outreach at the Brian Lara Promenade on Friday, said the flooding was also a health issue, as people were at risk of contracting leptospirosis.
“The urine from rodents has a bacteria called leptospirosis which can cause severe disease and death in humans.
"We have had a few cases reported, especially in San Fernando, since flooding began. I am imploring people to not deliberately go into flood waters, unless there is danger to life and property, especially in farms areas and where there are rodents present.
If you have to handle dead animals, use plastic gloves or double plastic bags over your hands, and wear a mask to avoid inhaling pathogens. Follow public health measures as much as possible.”
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