The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) was commended for its timely response to the flood-affected community of Coomacka, Upper Demerara- Upper Berbice (Region 10), on Saturday.
Byron Kendall, District Community Development Officer, Region 10, told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that this is an issue the community faces annually during the rainy season.
“We must say special thanks to the CDC for responding so quickly to this immediate emergency. This distribution will be of great assistance to those affected in the community,” Kendall said.
DPI said that on Friday, yards and homes were inundated after heavy rainfall caused the Demerara River to overtop and flood homes.
CDC Director-General, Lt Col. Kester Craig said that Coomacka is one of the flood-prone areas which is constantly monitored. He said that the commission was made aware of the situation through its National Emergency Monitoring System.
“We allowed the community to respond through their disaster mechanism and also the region so today it’s a culmination of community level, regional level and national level response,” Lt Col. Craig stated.
DPI said that the CDC donated a number of hampers containing cleaning and sanitation items which will assist affected residents in cleaning their homes and surroundings.
Because Coomacka is flood-prone, a previously detailed drone assessment was done to identify the source of the soil erosion and how it affects the Demerara River.
According to Lt. Col., Craig funding was provided to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority which desilted sections of the river. The NDIA also built mounds to reduce the impact of the erosion.
These measures will be evaluated over the next few weeks to ascertain whether it has had an impact in reducing the floods.