Water gushed into several Ogle, East Coast Demerara yards yesterday, raising concern among residents after a culvert opened by GuySuCo caused a trench to overflow.
The culvert, a pump attendant said, was opened to allow water into the backlands. However, just after 3pm yesterday residents in Area H, Ogle had inches of water in their yards. Edna Wong, 81, of Lot 57 Area H told Stabroek News that several inches of water was in her garage. A worried Wong pointed out that the water was less than an inch from entering her house.
Other residents who lived along the trench said water had started to gush into their yards. Many stood, watched and voiced their concerns. This, residents told Stabroek News, is the first time the trench has overflowed and at the time they were not yet aware of why the water level had suddenly risen.
In an effort to slow the pace at which the water was gushing into Wong’s yard, residents stacked sandbags at the area. Wong shares the house with her sick daughter.
Residents were reminded of the Great Flood in January 2005, which caused suffering in many East Coast Demerara villages. “I’m looking at the water and I am hoping that it doesn’t rise anymore,” one woman said. “I’ve been living here [Ogle] for four years and this is the first time something like this is happening…I was among those who suffered in the 2005 floods and I am afraid now.”
When Stabroek News visited the GuySuCo (Guyana Sugar Corporation) Drainage Pump Station at Pump Road, Ogle both attendants were present. One of the attendants explained that shortly before 3pm they’d received instructions to open a culvert located a short distance from the pump station. “GuySuCo call and tell us that the backlands were dry and we should open the culvert. The culvert lets water from one trench to the other one,” the attendant explained.
However, after noticing the overtopping the attendant used his initiative and closed the culvert.
The attendant said that is the first time something like this had occurred since he’s been working at the station. “I don’t know if there is some blockage somewhere along the trench that is preventing the water from flowing into the backlands,” he said.
Wong’s yard was flooded within 10 minutes and residents are convinced that if the culvert was left open the situation would’ve gotten worse.
Just after 4pm when this newspaper left the Ogle area the water showed no sign of receding. “They need to be more careful when they are doing this,” a resident of Ogle Old Road said, “if this pump attendant had not used his initiative then my house would probably be swamped…I just hope a shower of rain doesn’t cause the water level to rise anymore.”
Meanwhile, efforts made to contact GuySuCo officials for a comment were futile. (Sara Bharrat)