Several guests, among them couples on their honeymoon had to leave a Toco beachfront hotel on Sunday, hours after an overflowing Grande Riviere river which, locals say, changed its course and threatened to erode the foundation of the popular vacation spot.

Although no one was hurt, PNM councillor for Toco/Fishing Pond Terry Rondon said Mt Plaisir Estate Hotel is at serious risk. The leatherback turtles currently nesting in the area and the livelihood of fishermen are also in danger.

Heavy machinery to temporarily rectify the situation can threaten the movement and laying of turtles. As such, there is not an immediate effort to divert the course of the river using heavy machinery, but shovels and manual labour will be used instead.

Speaking with Newsday on Sunday, Rondon hailed disaster management co-ordinator at the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation, Terrance Maxime for calling him and dealing with the situation immediately on Saturday, after heavy rain.

He mobilised a team, including Rondon, and visited the hotel, where encroaching water eventually forced guests to leave early.

Rondon said the river last changed its course about 11 years ago.

"When it changes its course, it comes so close to the guest house and this time it was right up on the porch (of Mt Plaisir).

"I hope and pray that no more rain comes again because that hotel, it is a popular hotel with people coming from Germany and all over because it's a German running it."

He said corporation staff visited the hotel with sandbags which he said were ineffective because, "you have a depth from the hotel where the river passes at about 12-15 feet down.

"The fishermen have to moor their boats on the outside," he said. "They lost their nets, their engines, and now their livelihoods."

Otherwise, no other structures are in danger.

"The sad thing about this is there's nothing you can do to divert the river. You can't put heavy equipment. Where turtle eggs have been washed away, I advised them not to put heavy equipment. We could open it now, but a lot of turtles will die."

Rondon said he saw many hatchlings early Sunday morning.

"So we have to do manual labour, get the fishermen and some shovels and see what we could do to get some water out."

A similar manual effort was made 11 years ago, so as to avoid disturbing the turtles, Rondon said.

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