A spring tide yesterday hit the Riverview, Ruimveldt community, leaving streets and homes flooded in its wake, while the Agriculture Ministry warned of up to 50mm of rainfall overnight.
Around 5pm yesterday, Riverview residents were hit by the sudden tide, which swamped their homes and shops. The water was knee-high and rapidly swelling and most residents were seen lifting their furniture to higher grounds.
In a press release, the Agriculture Ministry yesterday said if the weather pattern persists, regions 2, 3 and 4 and Northern Region 6
would face up to 50mm of rainfall over-night. The Agriculture Ministry’s Hydromet Department is currently monitoring a weather pattern across the Atlantic. The heavy rain coinciding with spring tides could cause serious flooding.
The statement warned that there was a 70% chance that the predicted rainfall would occur and a 30% chance that it would decrease below 50 mm.
The statement added that the country’s drainage system is not designed to withstand such a high amount of water accumulation and if the weather pattern continued some communities could be faced with flooding.
“This situation is presently being monitored by all relevant stakeholders, and an emergency D&I team is also on standby to ensure that the situation remains under control,” the statement said, noting that the spring tide warning would be in effect until February 5.
Residents of riverine, coastal and low lying areas were warned to exercise precautionary measures against possible flooding due to above normal high tides.
Simone Bacchus, a young mother, said that she was in her yard when water started rush down the dam, swelling around her knees. She said children who were playing on the dam were swept along the dam by the force of the water. Some started to splash in the floodwaters.
“I was outside in the yard when suddenly the water started rushing into the streets. It was like a small fall and the children de playing in it but big people start to pick up their furniture,” she told Stabroek News. “We couldn’t go outside. I get a two year baby and the water is dirty because it mixing with the drain water.”
Another resident, Rudy Unes said the spring tide caught her off guard. “I is an old woman; my hand and foot is pain because I get arthritis so when it come I had to hurry and call these boys to help me fetch my chairs upstairs. The water was a foot high in my house,” the 74- year-old woman said.
By around 7 pm, the water had settled and residents were waiting for it to recede. Some were mopping and placing sand bags at their doors to prevent the floodwaters from entering. But some residents stood in the knee-high waters as the rain began to fall.
“When the water comes, it comes high with no alert. It was sudden thing. We had to carry up our furniture but the nasty part is that the drain water seeping into the house from underneath,” Clair Singh said.
Kamiyla, a small shop owner, lamented her loss. She said that a bag of rice and bales of toilet tissue were soaked in the flood. “We didn’t get time to raise anything high because the water was flooding in too quick.”
“We mop till we weary mop but the water keep coming. You know how long we mopping—look we still mopping! This is bad ’cause we ain’t get no warning it come just so sudden,” Rickey Ramroop, another shop owner said.
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the ministry statement said, is monitoring all emergency drainage
structures to ensure they are functioning, ensuring koker operators open and close sluice doors on time, ensuring that all equipment is functional in the event of emergency works and cleaning of canals, and drainage structures through collaboration with the regional bodies.
High tides on Thursday swept through the Parika stelling, East Bank Essequibo, displacing vendors. It was said to be the highest in four years. The water began to rush in around 4:30 pm and flooded the area for close to half an hour.
