TOBAGONIANS are expected the experience the effects of Hurricane Beryl from between midnight and 2 am on July 1 as the system barrels toward the southern windwards.
The Met Office issued a tropical storm alert yellow level for Tobago at 10.14 am on June 29, saying that Beryl was heading toward the southeast Caribbean and could intensify into the year’s first hurricane.
This materialised from around 5pm on Saturday and Beryl was upgraded to a category one hurricane.
Earlier, Tobagonians braced for the worst as heavy rains pounded much of the island, still reeling from the aftermath of the February 7 oil spill.
At 10 am, the storm was centred near located 9.9N, about 1,450km east of the island. But the Met Office said there was a low to medium chance (30-40 per cent) of tropical storm force winds affecting Tobago as Beryl approached the southern Windwards.
But by news time, there were no reports of landslides or damage to homes. There also were no reports of panic-buying at groceries and other shopping facilities.
Sunday Newsday learnt, though, there was an electricity outage along Northside Road from Parlatuvier to Hermitage. Bloody Bay and L’Anse Fourmi were among the affected areas.
Due to poor weather conditions, the restoration of supply has been delayed in these areas.
President of the All Tobago Fisherfolk Association Curtis Douglas said fishermen across the island had begun pulling their boats to shore.
“Basically, they are securing their boats. Some are going to the lagoon. They are saying that the rough seas will come in on Monday, so they are not taking any chances.”
Videos of Scarborough and Belle Garden fishermen pulling their boats out of the water were posted on social media.
At a news conference at Fairfield Complex, Bacolet, which came after an emergency meeting with stakeholders, including the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine urged calm.
“Please, this broadcast is not intended to create any anxiety among the public so we want you to remain calm and to see this through logically and scientifically. But we want you to be prepared because the underpinning philosophy of disaster preparedness is to prepare is to prepare for the worst while praying for the best.”
He said the THA has put systems in place to deal with effects of hurricane-like conditions on the island.
In the meantime, Augustine said the Tobago People’s Party’s internal election, which was due to take place today, has been postponed by one week.
“The decision was taken by me as the interim political leader that those election activities will be postponed until next Sunday, July 7. That is because I will need all members of the executive of the Tobago House of Assembly focussed on THA business tomorrow. This is our priority. So your focus is not getting people to the polls to vote for you or for others. Your business will be the Tobago House of Assembly and the people of Tobago’s business. That takes priority.”
Augustine said all members of the executive must be
