With the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service having declared the start of the rainy season on May 19, UWI Geography lecturers Dr Kegan Farrick and Dr Gabrielle Thongs are reminding people of the importance of disaster preparedness.
From late May to mid-June, the passage of several tropical waves and Intertropical Convergence Zones (ITCZs) has led to floods and the issuance of weather alerts throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
But while flood and weather alerts are to be expected during the season, Dr Farrick said the effects of climate change, as it relates to warming atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, make the country more susceptible to intense thunderstorms and tropical systems.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s rainfall trajectory models project that 2025 will be a wet year for Trinidad and Tobago, suggesting that the twin-island state may be due for more rainfall throughout the rainy season.
As such, households—especially those living in flood-prone areas—should be thorough in their immediate disaster preparation.
For starters, Dr Farrick said each household should have a disaster preparedness kit, and he is also encouraging people to sign up for the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management's (ODPM) Public Alert Notification System (PANS).
But even though significant strides have been made to set up the PANS, Dr Thongs noted that a key shortfall is its reliance on voluntary sign-ups—meaning many people who need the warnings are still not receiving them. In response to this gap, some communities have developed creative solutions of their own.
Dr Thongs shared, “Two rural communities that I am aware of have established their own call chains. When the water reaches a certain level, they activate a grassroots alert system to warn neighbours to evacuate.
“No fancy equipment, just community willpower and practical action.”
Dr Thongs also highlighted the importance of individuals respecting the country's littering laws to keep water passages clear.
With a growing population and finite land, Dr Thongs explained that the sustained pressure for new residential housing can lead to building in unsuitable areas or clearing natural vegetation, which leads to increased runoff.
Sharing a worrying example, Dr Thongs said, “There is a particular community I regularly traverse that already struggles with frequent flooding, severe traffic congestion, and other longstanding developmental challenges. And yet, despite these unresolved issues, new residential housing continues to be added to that community.
“It's a pattern that repeats itself across the country: we continue to expand into areas that are already under stress, without first addressing the existing vulnerabilities.”
Dr Farrick agrees that it is important that conversations surrounding climate change and disaster preparedness in Trinidad and Tobago move towards more long-term solutions.
With the relocation of houses in flood-prone areas, it's more realistic to invest in adaptation methods like modifying houses.
He said, “It's unfortunate that people are in these areas that are going to be hit by floods. We need to figure out how to maybe redesign houses in these areas to adapt to flooding, or even rebuild them.”
He asked, “Are we going to redesign homes for stilts? Do we need to add additional floors? Do we need to put ramps and things like that for their cars to go up on when it floods?”
Both Dr Farrick and Dr Thongs said increasing attention to the communities, agricultural lands, and roadways that are already flooding is where real, immediate resilience begins.
They also agree that investments in long-term strategies, green development and green infrastructure will strengthen the resilience of these communities.
