Floodwaters have been receding in a number of areas along the East Coast Demerara but many residents are complaining about the inches of water still in their homes.
Inches of water still covered many yards in Greenfield when this newspaper visited the area shortly after 3 pm yesterday. Main drainage trenches, residents explained, have been cleaned by drainage authorities but still the water refuses to move.
Beehive and Ann’s Grove, which are both located in the vicinity of Greenfield, were still under water as well. Residents from these areas stated that they were “sick” of the situation and “tired of complaining”.
Sharmilla Baksh and her husband Tekchand, residents of Third Street Beehive, explained that the water level has been fluctuating in the area. However, according to them heavy rainfall Tuesday night has caused the water level to “shoot up” once again.
Guiding her feet through the inches of brown water in her yard, Baksh led Stabroek News to her lower flat kitchen. The floor of the kitchen has been transformed into slushy mud as a result of the water resting on the area sporadically for almost a month.
“Meh can’t walk deh cause meh foot going to sink in that mud,” Baksh explained. “Meh ah cook on meh step landing fuh couple weeks now.”
Meanwhile, Tekchand who is a small scale fisherman, explained that most of the livestock which he reared to make a “little extra cash” have perished. The man’s expression indicated that while the over 30 animals was a small number they meant a lot to him and his family.
The couple’s teenage daughter displayed her rash-infected feet and lower leg to this newspaper. Baksh explained that her child’s skin will be heavily scarred when it finally heals. Although, Red Cross groups had visited the area about two weeks ago, the woman said, they were still in need of medical attention.
Many other residents are battling similar circumstances. The lower flat kitchen of the Ramjewan family has also been damaged by the inches of floodwaters. According to the family, floodwater has been in the Beehive area for almost a month.
The Greenfield koker is responsible for draining the Greenfield/Beehive area, residents informed. Although the koker is in “close to perfect condition”, they said, the floodwaters still refuse to go.
“Dem a desilt that koker steady. It ah work good good…not one problem it nah got…dem had one pump that dem ah use to pump but still we flood out. Mus’ be too much rain we getting fuh real,” a Greefield resident stated.
Meanwhile, a section of the Main Street in Ann’s Grove and most of the community’s backland area had inches of water up to late yesterday afternoon.
Although, most of the water has subsided in these areas a rank scent still emanates from what remains. However, many residents admitted that they have become so used to the floodwater that they no longer notice the smell.
