Families occupying over a dozen homes at Linden, in Region Ten, are now in jeopardy as the foundations of their homes have been severely eroded following torrential rains between Friday and Sunday at Linden, in Region Ten.
Should there be any more heavy rainfall, it is feared that the houses may easily slip away and residents could be harmed. A source, who asked not to be named, told this newspaper that some 13 homes have been affected by the erosion.
In a Facebook post, the Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, noted that following the heavy rains the soak-away (a structure to drain water) at Blueberry Hill was washed away and five homes had been directly and severely impacted.
From pictures shared by Craig, the houses appear to be precariously poised on their respective foundations, sections of which have already been washed away.
Craig noted that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority along with the Regional Democratic Council will “begin works to repair the area of the soak-away and provide some sandbags to residents
to shore up their homes to prevent further slippages.”
The CDC is monitoring the situation, Craig added.
In addition, Stabroek News was told that affected residents are in need of food supplies and they had on Monday visited the Regional Democratic Council seeking assistance.
“The region needs to carry out an assessment but people visited asking for assistance because some of them are victims of some flooding and their food items were destroyed,” the source told Stabroek News.
This newspaper was informed that the affected residents are mainly squatters and had constructed their homes without any permission from authorities.
The man noted that because residents engaged in land clearing by removing the trees and made space to erect their homes, there is no longer any support to hold the sand in place.
“This erosion of sand, clay and water is very scary because you don’t know when the mudslide can affect your home. A mudslide can push a home from … straight into the Demerara River or even knock down another house along the way,” the source pointed as he called on authorities to offer assistance to affected persons.
