How To Survive The Rainy Season
Picture it, the day is bright, warm, sunny. In your head, the idea of laying on the sand, some bake and shark in one hand as friends beckon you into the cool refreshing Caribbean sea, then a torrential downpour just wipes this perfect beach day from your head. Yep, the rainy season is here.
Now, as much as we love the freedom to pick up and go to the beach at any moment, the overwhelming heat of the dry season means that the rainy season brings with it some cool relief. Additionally, with reservoir levels low and water being scarce, we are so ready for the sweet relief of a good few rainy days. However, as much as there are some amazing perks to the rainy season, there are drawbacks as well, such as always having to have an umbrella handy and having to make plans around the predictions of the weatherman. This is not even going into the usual problems that occur during the rainy season in the Caribbean (hurricane anyone). In any event, whether you are eagerly awaiting the dry season or dreading it will be here in a few short weeks, so here are some tips to survive it.
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Just buy the umbrella now.For some strange reason, umbrellas disappear during the dry season, like this is a legit phenomenon. We should get Gary on it. News stations should be writing articles about the disappearance of umbrellas but no one seems to talk about it. It doesn’t matter where you store it the umbrella you had last rainy season disappeared sometime during the dry season. This would be all well and fine except when you realize it is missing is when you need it the most and of course, everyone knows the price of umbrellas rise on a rainy day. So next time you see an umbrella on sale on a day when it’s not raining, just buy it because be assured you’ll need one and the price will be doubled. Now this only works if you use umbrellas if your motto is bad man doh fraid no rain, just remember catching a cold is no joke, so keep a towel or change of clothes in your car or office in case of a sudden downpour because being sick is never fun.
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Who say rainy day river limes
Few things can mess up a Trini’s weekend like rain on a day when you planned to lime. However, rain should only stop cricket and not beach or river limes. So embrace a little rain but be sure to stay away from Maracas because it makes no sense to play games with a potential landslide. -
Stay out of townTown flooding is no joke. For whatever reason (like the East Dry River being diverted) someone only needs to spill a bottle of water for Port of Spain to flood. So, if you have no reason to be in town on a rainy day stay out of the capital.
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Be thankful God is a TriniTrinidad and, to some extent, Tobago thankfully is located just outside of the hurricane belt so as tropical storms and hurricanes pass every year we managed to stay safe and for the most part unaffected. Despite this protection, we need to do our part to protect our country from flooding. As such, we need to plant trees in our hillsides to lower the risk of soil erosion which leads to landslides and flooding. We also need to stop littering everywhere especially our waterways so our country does not face disasters flooding such as what occurred in October 2018. We may benefit from our location but we do need to do our part as well.
- Be proactive
The rainy season comes every year so ensure you’re ready for it and this includes getting your home and car ready. So clean your gutters, clear your drains and ensure your car’s tyres aren’t smooth. Even though the likelihood of a storm hitting is rare, keep flashlights and batteries handy, stock up on canned foods and safety supplies, and learn the location of your nearest shelter. Also, save these numbers so you have them in case you need them.
ODPM Trinidad Office:Â 640-1285/8905/8653/6493
ODPM Tobago Office:Â 660-7489
If you follow these tips you’ll be able to survive the rainy season intact and soon enough the dry season will be back and you’ll be complaining about the heat. What are your tips to survive the rainy season? Comment below and let us know.