– Jagdeo orders damage assessment
Abnormally high spring tides continued last evening, leading to overtopping of river defences in several communities across Guyana and leaving residents battling with inundated homes and yards but holding on to the hope that the worst days are behind them.
While water had drawn off from most of the villages along the East and West Banks of Demerara yesterday, by last evening there were reports that there was more overtopping in several communities just after 6 pm, when the waters rose with the tide. These communities include Friendship, Craig and Diamond on the East Bank, and Vive la Force, Sisters and Wales on the West Bank. However, the water level was lower than on Thursday evening this newspaper was told by several residents.
The Hydromet office has predicted that the spring tides will continue until Saturday, while saying that the highest occurred on Thursday afternoon. Garvin Cummings, senior Hydrologist at the Hydromet Office, said that the high tides which occurred on Thursday afternoon were 3.36 metres above Chart-datum. Senior Engineer in the Ministry of Public Works Walter Willis said that this tide was the second highest recorded in the country’s history. He said that Thursday’s high tide was 56.6 Gd, which was higher that the predicted level of 56.17 Gd. The highest ever recorded was on February 28, 2002 when the high tide rate was 56.72 Gd.
Cummings explained that two days ago “a low pressure weather system” also developed north-west of Guyana. “The increase in wind flow/speeds resulting from this low pressure area coupled with the spring tides would have created the type of storm surges experienced within the last 24 to 36 hours,” he said. However, this low pressure weather continues to move westward to west-north-westward away from Guyana and closer to the Windward Islands. Subsequently the influence of this system on weather and tides is expected to deteriorate within the next 24-48 hours, he said. Meanwhile, the receding tides “still have the potential to cause further flooding along the coast and near inland locations,” Cummings said.
Meanwhile, President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday ordered an immediate assessment of the infrastructural damage caused by the recent overtopping of the Demerara River so as to determine the way forward in reassuring their structural integrity, a release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. The Head of State yesterday visited several of the affected villages with Minister of Transport Roberson Benn and Housing Minister Irfaan Ali.
The release said too that “ministerial and health teams” have been dispatched to affected communities, in an attempt to mitigate the spread of water borne and skin diseases and to assess the needs of residents in the wake of the flooding.
While acknowledging the gravity of the situation, President Jagdeo noted that the lowering of the earthen river defences was sometimes caused by human activities—usually squatters—and he identified the villages of Herstelling and Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara as examples. The President was firm that the squatters will have to be removed and those persons are expected to meet with Minister Ali during next week to regularize the situation, GINA said.
Head of the President Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon, during a press briefing yesterday, also said that cabinet was advised about threats to food security in regions affected by flooding. These, Luncheon said, included communities in the North and South Pakaraimas. Food supplies have already been dispatched to some of these communities, particularly Port Kaituma and Kato, and more will most likely be dispatched to the other areas in the Pakaraimas and Tipuru. Yesterday, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud told media operatives that the communities of Leguan and Wakenaam were also affected by the recent flooding.
When Stabroek News visited villages along the West Bank of Demerara yesterday afternoon, many residents were cleaning up after Thursday evening’s episode.
Over in Vive la Force, some residents told this newspaper about the poultry that was lost in the flood. Kenrick Seebaran and his wife Chandroutie said they had lost over 200 chickens.
The couple recounted how they had to store the remaining chickens on the verandah on the top flat of their two-storey home. According to them, it was only last year that they invested heavily in their business.
Another resident, Mary Clarke told Stabroek News that she lost 200 ‘baby chickens’, 159 ‘big chickens” and 2 pigs. The mother of three said that her home was also in a state of disrepair as a result of the flood.
However, when contacted last evening after 7 pm, she said that she was on the road since the water was raising in the community again.
Sudesh Rudolph, of Sisters Village, said that he lost over a $1million in poultry, since 560 of his chicken died on Thursday. He explained that these chickens were layers. The man was curious as to who would help to compensate him for his losses.
In the same village, Neermilla Sookram said that Thursday’s experience was one she would never want to experience again. She said that she got up that morning at 3 am as normal but was soon sent rushing to save her appliances and other valuables. She said that at about 4:30 am the water began to pour into her yard and house.
Resident Donnette George said she was discharged yesterday from hospital and returned home to see the aftermath of the flood.
Her home still had water in it. According to her, in her 44-years living in the community, this was the worst flooding experience she ever experienced.