As the city of Georgetown recovers from the effects of Friday’s flash floods, citizens are being warned to prepare for more flooding.
A public advisory from the Government Information Agency (GINA) warns that an Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is slowly but steadily developing over Guyana.
According to the advisory, this development makes it likely that coastal and inland Guyana will experience periodic heavy downpours early this morning which will result in flooding in poor drainage, low-lying and riverine areas.
“The forecasts favours generally overcast conditions with moderate to heavy rain for the morning into early afternoon, after which, a slow but gradual reduction in showers will be observed. At present, the areas likely to be affected more are Regions 3 to 5, and to a lesser but still some concerns, Region 2 and northern Region 6. Rainfall amount in these areas (Regions 3 to 5) are more likely to exceed 100 mm (3.9 inches). The remainder of Guyana will see values between 50 mm (1.9 inches) to 80.0 mm (3.1 inches),” the advisory states. This forecast is compounded by a predicted high tide of more than 2 metres for a large portion of the day. High tide is expected at approximately 1.30 am at 2.41 metres with low tide occurring six hours later and lasting for seven hours until another high tide of 2.69 meters at 2 pm. This will persist for six hours until low tide at 8 pm.
Similar projections for Monday December 26 and Tuesday December 27 make it likely that the city which is designed to drain only 2.5 inches within a 24-hour period, will experience significant flooding.
If the forecast holds true, citizens who spent yesterday recovering from Friday’s flood will spend the Christmas holidays underwater even though all five of the pumps are now working. The two which were down yesterday have since been repaired and are functioning.
Two wards, South and North Ruimveldt, and Albouystown which have not had any reprieve, may spend 2017 in better conditions, as Town Clerk, Royston King has indicated that the city’s 2017 Budget caters for significant drainage works in these areas.
Asked to state the sum allocated and the parameters of the work, King said he was “unable to give specifics from the budget until it was presented to the Minister of Communities and the general public.” The presentation to the minister which was legally mandated to occur by November 16 will occur within the new week since it was delayed for “various reasons”. The public will have a chance to preview the 2017 budget which was discussed and passed “in camera,” sometime in early January, he said.
In the meantime, the Town Clerk denied the claims of residents that North and South Ruimveldt were neglected during the 2015 $300 million Georgetown Restoration project.
He maintains that several canals and drains were cleared in 2015. “I even think Caneview was dredged twice within the last year and a half,” he stated.
King stated that a major hindrance to the city’s efforts to keep major outfalls clear was those squatter settlements which have developed along their banks and which prevent equipment from accessing the canals for adequate cleaning.
“We are aware of the drainage situation in these wards and are committed to bringing relief to those citizens,” King said, adding that this is a major priority of the Mayor and City Council.
