As rainfall persisted for most of yesterday, several villages along the East Coast of Demerara were waterlogged, including Dazzell Housing Scheme, where residents appealed for better drainage to prevent recurring floods in the community.
With rain continuing to hit areas along the coastland, the Agriculture Ministry said mobile pumps had been deployed along the East Coast and excavators have been placed at several areas to help drain water from the land.
Over the past several days, communities in regions 2,3,4,5 and 6 have experienced flooding as the drainage systems across the coastland are being taxed.
Agriculture Minister Leslie Ramsammy told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the ministry would continue to monitor the situation and ensure that it does not deteriorate.
Stabroek News visited several areas along the East Coast and residents were tallying losses as the water levels rose. The community of La Bonne Intention (LBI), close to the railway embankment, was under several inches of water and further south into the area, at Cherry Field, residents had parked their vehicles along the main road as access to the intersecting streets was hampered by floodwater.
Further east at Dazzell Housing Scheme, persons in the community were placing their furniture and other valuables on higher ground when this newspaper visited as there was as much as three feet of water in some parts.
According to Paula Meusa, her home at 11th Street had been surrounded by water since Monday morning but she noted that yesterday the levels rose significantly, resulting in her entire home being flooded. She said that she attempted to bail out the water from the house; however, it has been seeping in from her veranda.
The woman noted that her wardrobe and carpets have been damaged. “For a few days it will be like this because it’s water which is being drained from behind the sugar estate at Enmore that you seeing here,” she said.
She added that the water exuded a “rank smell,” which she noted is an indication that it was being drained from the areas aback the housing scheme.
Further south into the community, several homes, mainly the flat houses, were under water and according to the Wintz household, they were making all attempts to prevent the water from entering their home. Ms Wintz told Stabroek News that her home at 16th Street was built fairly high above the level of the landscape but yesterday water was seeping in from the garage.
The woman said angrily that the community has been plagued by flooding over the years. ’I can’t understand year in, year out and yet we in this same situation every rainy season,” she lamented, while adding that several attempts to reach the relevant officials at the Ministry of Agriculture yesterday to lodge complaints were to no avail.
“This thing really upsetting because every time it rains you have to think about losing something,” she noted.
Another resident aback the community related that when he left his home yesterday morning for the city, the water was beginning to rise nearby.
He said that he rears ducks and chickens and that he has lost several of the birds since they were exposed to the water. ‘If you look around, most people are at work and as this water keep rising, they gon come home to the whole house under water,” he noted, adding, ”is reality, the place need better drainage because we all know this is a basin, so it’s obvious something needs to be done.”
Several yards at the Haslington Housing Scheme were also under water as the main drainage canals were level with the roads.
Further along the East Coast, several homes and public buildings were under water and police officers at the Enmore Police Station were trudging through ankle high water when this newspaper passed through the area. It was noted that centipedes were in most yards and as a result many residents were cautiously moving around their yards.
At Perth, Mahaicony, the water level in several yards was gradually rising as the rain poured and residents were beginning to prepare for the worst as news reached the area that water is being released via the Maduni sluice near the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC).
The drainage pumps operated by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) along the East Coast were all operating at full force when this newspaper visited the area yesterday as the nearby reservoirs were filled to capacity.
The Agriculture Ministry has been urging residents in flood prone areas as well as low-lying areas to take all necessary precautions as the rains continue. According to the Hydromet office, the rains are expected to continue over the next few days as La Nina conditions will persist until March.
According to the ministry, its monitoring efforts are being supplemented by the Local Government Ministry and other local organs, including the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) and the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).
