By RHONDOR DOWLAT Wednesday, November 19 2008

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PORT-OF-SPILL: Flood waters covers streets along South Quay following heavy showers yesterday....

MEMBERS of the Regiment and Coast Guard had difficulty coming to the aid of stranded commuters because of rising floodwaters and traffic gridlock in Port-of-Spain and environs.

An army truck, after taking an hour, got to the Priority Bus Route (PBR) where it transported scores of stranded commuters to waiting buses which were only allowed in the vicinity of the city Abattoir.

Hundreds of commuters were seen with shoes in hand and pants rolled up to their knees wading through the flooded streets of the PBR and Eastern Main Road. Stranded motorists parked their vehicles on the shoulder of the road and waited for the waters to subside. Some were waiting for over three hours.

A frustrated man shouted: “Where is Manning and the Minister of Works and Transport when you need them? They should come out here and face the flood just like us. Where is the Minister of Health, we are at risk in this nasty flood waters, so many diseases.”

Another man shouted: “Ent Manning say he is a normal citizen like the rest of us? Well where is he?”

Police officers also came out in full force and attempted to re-direct traffic away from the flooded points at South Quay, Eastern Main Road, Lady Young Road, Morvant, Barataria, Mount Hope and Silvermill. Rivers at St Ann’s, Bourg Mulatresse in San Juan also burst its banks sweeping away several motorists. Two cars were reportedly swept away in Morvant. Late yesterday, acting Police Commissioner James Philbert was seen directing traffic at the corner of St Vincent and Queen Streets.

Ambulance workers and administrative staff of the Global Medical Response of Trinidad and Tobago in John John were also seen stranded and seen standing on heights at various points on the compound.

Even members of the coast guard were seen with rope in hand attempting to pull out stranded vehicles from some parts of the road along the Eastern Main Road, Laventille which was under five feet of water.

Officials of Port-of-Spain City Gate at about 3.30 pm made an announcement on its Public Announcement System informing thousands of frustrated commuters that the major transport hub was officially closed until the flooding subsided. Motorists who were stuck in gridlock traffic along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Beetham not only fell to flood woes but also bandits who also came out in full force to rob them, police said.