Update 9:00 AM December 31st
The North Coast Road, Maracas, was reopened this morning to traffic via single lane following a successful clearance of the debris from a landslide, which occurred overnight. No major injuries or other damage have been reported at this time.
The Ministry of Works and Transport along with other agencies were able to clear the debris, however, motorists and residents are advised to drive with extra caution as only one lane of traffic is available near the first lookout.
A major landslide has rendered the North Coast Road impassable, with a section of the roadway collapsing before the Maracas Lookout. For those familiar with the roadway, the landslide occurred in the vicinity of a popular spring nearing the lookout.
While the roadway has not been formally closed by the Ministry of Works and Transport, the only way out of Maracas and other beach or fishing communities on the North Coast is via Arima through Blanchiessuse Road.
Update 11:00 PM – The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, as well as the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service and Trinidad and Tobago Regiment have been mobilised.
Update 10:00 PM – The Ministry of Works and Transport Highways Division is presently addressing a hillslide on the North Coast Road, Maracas approximately 1.5km before the lookout. A team and equipment have been deployed to clear debris and establish interim connectivity, while ongoing assessments are being conducted.
Landslides occur when the slope changes from a stable to an unstable condition. A change in the stability of a slope can be caused by a number of factors acting together or alone.
Although many types of mass movements are dubbed “landslides,” slides are a specific type of mass movement of sediment. This is where there is a distinct zone of weakness that separates the slide material from a more stable, underlying material.
In a traditional slide, or debris slide, there is a chaotic movement of rocks, soil, and debris mixed with water. It is usually triggered by the saturation of thickly vegetated slopes, which results in an incoherent mixture of broken timber, smaller vegetation and other debris. This is common along the Northern Range of Trinidad, especially along the North Coast Road.
The last major landslide to occur on the North Coast Road was on July 15th, 2022, which prompted a temporary closure of the roadway.
