The authorities were stretched yesterday as water overflowed the conservancy at Golden Fleece on the Essequibo Coast, with surrounding areas in Region Two remaining under a considerable amount of water.
Elsewhere on the Coast, as the rains eased off, floodwaters dropped and residents began a clean-up. However, there remained pockets where water remained on the land and along some areas on the East Coast Demerara, some residents reported rising water levels.
Water levels in the critical East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) were at a “safe” level of 58.25 GD (Georgetown Datum) below the crest of the dam at 59GD, Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Lionel Wordsworth said. Water was being discharged into the Demerara River through the Land of Canaan, Kofi and Cunha sluices. He said that after rising over the past days, by yesterday afternoon, the water levels had stabilized.
Wordsworth, at a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture yesterday, noted that the Mahaica and Mahaicony Rivers are under very close watch, following the heavy rains. St. Cuthbert’s Mission, in the upper reaches of the Mahaica River, recorded 311.3mm of accumulated water over the past 72 hours, according to Chief Hydromet Officer Bhaleka Seulall.
The EDWC, Boerasirie and the conservancies in Region Two recorded a rapid rise in water levels following the rains, Wordsworth said. In Region Two, the conservancies are at their full supply level with efforts being made to drain the water off the land. There was overtopping at Golden Fleece and there were high water levels in surrounding areas but this is receding, he said. However, some areas remain flooded, including from Onderneeming to Annandale.
Up to 8 am yesterday, the highest level of rainfall recorded over the previous 24-hours was 7.02 inches at St. Denny’s Mission in Region Two, Seulall said.
Cloudy conditions and intermittent showers have been forecast for today over coastal areas.
Permanent Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry George Jervis said that the Ministry had activated its plan that was set up in anticipation of this amount of rainfall. He said that officers from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority and the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute were deployed to affected areas to monitor, assist farmers and give feedback. He said that the Ministry is offering its routine assistance.
Meantime, in Georgetown, water along many areas that were flooded on Monday had receded but in certain areas like Festival City, inches of water remained. In his Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt home, Malcolm Peters was unable to go anywhere due to the high waters in his yard. He said that he had not seen this high water since the 2005 flood. Since Monday, he was unable to come downstairs, the man said. It was the third day that water flooded the area.
In South Cummings Lodge, Satrohan Kandhai said that three of his 11 sheep had died and he expressed fear that the water was rising. “At least to me like it raise more this morning (yesterday),” he said.
In Festival City, Georgetown, some flood-affected residents stayed home from work to protect their homes. Some of their children also did not go to school. Wading with her nephew in the floodwaters, Rashanna Peters said that the bottom flat of her home was still flooded and recounted that she had had to move carpets, television and other items upstairs.
