Substantial repairs need to be done on parts of the Linden-Lethem road severely damaged by recent floods but rain continues to stall works leaving Lethem residents wary of higher prices for food.
While work is ongoing to repair the road, Chief Roads Engineer in the Ministry of Public Works and Communication, Leon Goring told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that work is stalled at the most seriously affected area between Meritezero and the Pirara Bridge in Region Nine due to continuing rains. Omai is working on this stretch and GINA reported that they would have to allow the soil to dry out before the laterite can be applied. The rainy season is expected to run until August.
GINA said that two engineers are currently working on the bridges between Kurupukari and Lethem and to date they have completed re-decking three bridges in the Iwokrama concession, and materials have been ordered for the re-construction of four more bridges, and four culverts. Because of the road and bridge conditions the Ministry of Public Works and Communication issued an advisory to severely limit the weights of trucks traversing that roadway. On Thursday three heavily-laden vehicles including an oil tanker were stranded, GINA said.
Speaking with Stabroek News yesterday, several Lethem residents said that light traffic has resumed on the crucial roadway. Since the flood, most services have returned to normal and the clean-up continues, they said. However, it was pointed out that electricity continues to be rationed and prices for some items had gone up. Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Terrence Boston said that flour is scarce in shops and several checks to get the staple at various stores last week were in vain.
The recent record floods swamped at least 1166 farms in Region Eight and Nine, Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn said. He told the National Assembly on Friday that the flood exceeded “all previous levels” and was at best, a 50 year event but warned of a likely recurrence due to climate change. 1976 saw the last “great regional flooding” but given climate change, “the possibilities of a re-occurrence before year-end would not be ignored,” Benn said.
Brazilian media reports said that rains are continuing in the states of Roraima and Amazonas.
With regards to the Linden-Lethem road, GINA reported that the road from the Mabura Hill junction to 20 Mile is moderate-to-severely deteriorated, about a half mile in length, six miles outside of the Linden-Mabura Hill junction. While this piece was fixed by MMC and remains passable, from 20 Mile to 48 Mile, the road is again moderately deteriorated, which means that potholes and minor areas of erosion exist, GINA said.
However, the stretch from Kurupukari to Lethem is “problematic” and there is heavy damage to the roadways, bridges and culverts. In the Iwokrama concession, 37 bridges and a number of culverts were inspected by a team of engineers. Four of these bridges need construction and on several others rehabilitation works to the decks, liners, and the superstructure have to be carried out.
At the Hunt Oil stretch close to Lethem, there are minor overspills on both sides of the savannah road and it is moderately deteriorated with potholes, GINA reported. Between the Pirara Bridge and Lethem, four culverts are in need of replacement.
Meanwhile, south of Lethem, the road leading to Aishalton was covered with as much as eight feet of water at one point cutting off access.
GINA said that recently three road contracts were awarded to Mekdeci Machinery and Construction Inc. (MMC), B.K. International and V. Dalip to rehabilitate the Linden-Lethem roadways. MMC and BK International are responsible for road works between Linden and Lethem, V Dalip from Lethem to Katoonarib Bridge; and from Katoonarib Bridge to Aishalton BK International was awarded that contract. MMC is already on the ground and has commenced works; however BK International hopes to commence soon since their vehicles cannot access the location because of the road conditions, GINA reported.
Waterlogged
Last Friday, Benn told the National Assembly that while flooding was seen in Regions Six, Eight, Nine and Ten, the impact was most severe in Region Nine when the area, extent and population were considered. He said that some 1868 persons comprising 502 households were directly affected by the flooding there and 303 persons had to be evacuated to shelters and private homes.
In Aishalton and Maskenari, prolonged rainfall led to waterlogged farmlands of some 280 farmers, he said. Overland access was cut to the Deep South Rupununi communities.
In the South-Central Rupununi district, 114 farms were flooded at Sand Creek and the villages of Baitoon, Rupunau, Maruranau, Shulinab and Potarinau were also affected with house collapses reported in several villages. In the Central Rupununi sub-district, 267 farms were affected while 55% of Lethem was flooded. 291 persons were initially relocated to shelters and 14 stores and restaurants were flooded in Lethem, Benn said.
The North Rupununi recorded flooding at 14 villages with at least 278 farms affected. In addition, in the areas bordering Region Eight and Nine, at least 227 farms were flooded in four villages. Benn informed the National Assembly of government’s and the Civil Defence Commission’s response.
He said that engineers and workers have been deployed to fix critical parts of the roadways and have been conducting surveys of the highest water level achieved in each district “to map the flood extent and to determine future engineering responses”.
Government remains vigilant and stands ready to provide support, Benn said. “A health and infrastructural catastrophe has been averted and largely mitigated thus far,” he added.
