Floodwaters along the Essequibo Coast have risen some two inches after almost 12 inches of water flooded the land since Thursday, affected residents say.
The water was expected to have receded by Saturday afternoon since, according to information received by Stabroek News, 12 pumps are currently stationed in different villages along the Coast including Three Friends, Anna Regina, Lima and Devonshire Castle.
Yesterday, one woman of the Reliance Housing Scheme said that the water is now knee-high. “On Friday when the water came up, it wasn’t so high but it raised Saturday then today (Sunday) it get far more high.
After we hear that it get pumps working, we thought that the water gon go down but it is not pulling. The water is still the same way,” she said.
Poonawattie Bhopaul, a single parent of Reliance, said that she is hoping that affected residents can be compensated. “It’s very hard on me as a single parent.
This flood is something very serious. I had two cupboards and all two were destroyed. Right now I can’t even go into my kitchen to cook because the water is still in the kitchen.
My neighbours had to cook and give my son and me food,” she said. The woman related that a pump was placed in the area but the water has not receded much.
Another resident of Coffee Grove who did not want her name published said that the entire village was flooded and residents heard that there was no fuel to operate the pump in the nearby village of Lima.
“The water here is past our knees and we hear that the pump nah get fuel to work. This is the first time we get a flood of this sort. I live in this village a good time now and I never see a flood like this.
The people who live in this village will like to see the authorities do something about this. People livelihood gone down the drain. Plenty people lose a lot a chicken and ducks,” she said.
Meanwhile, in the village of Lima, Ulanda Hyman related that when she woke up at around 4am on Thursday, the bottom flat of her house was flooded. “The water did not go down from Thursday to now. I usually leave my transformer on the floor and I have to quickly remove it before matters became worse. I even had to incur additional expenses to put my electrical appliances on blocks. This flood is a very devastating situation for residents of this area,” she lamented.
Stabroek News was told that the roads which are made of loam in Red Village, Ondeerneeming Sand Pit were completely washed away and vehicles are unable to go in or out of the village. Residents are hoping that the authorities can find a solution urgently.
President Donald Ramotar and drainage officials visited the area on Saturday.