Constant rainfall and the overtopping of the Pomeroon River have resulted in severe flooding in two Upper Pomeroon areas, leaving almost 150 households severely affected.
Region Two Chairperson Vilma DaSilva told Stabroek News yesterday that approximately 145 households in the Jacklow and Dredge Creek Canal areas have been under four to five feet of water for over a week but the residents were refusing to leave their homes. “They are still there and are travelling around their yard with their boats,” she said.
DaSilva said the region did experience some flash flooding a few days ago and while the waters had receded from the land, there was a build-up of water in several canals which have since started to overtop.
“Because of these canals, they are overfull and running down into the Dredge Creek area there. If the rain continues those people will be flooding all the time and as we speak there is nothing we can do at this point because of the wet season. Machines cannot go on the dams and so to do any further building up of dams is pointless,” she said.
She noted that the flooding is not due to inoperable pumps as they are all in perfect condition
Regional officials visited the area yesterday and distributed flood assistance hampers from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to the affected families.
“It is a serious situation for the families but we will be monitoring them and in terms of support, which other supporting agency can intervene we will be grateful but we will continue to give them full support as they are underwater and have lost all their crops,” she said.
Commenting on the situation, Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall said that flooding in these areas has occurred annually for a number of years. He also said Regional Engineers have visited the affected areas to conduct a preliminary assessment of the situation. However, he added, engineers from the Ministry of Public works and Ministry of Agriculture will soon be conducting visits to make an assessment of what relief efforts can be done to address the situation. He noted that construction is currently ongoing at Dredge Creek.
Dharamlall added that the government will be happy to provide support for the affected families.
As of yesterday, the affected households were still flooded.
