The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) which has been tasked with assessing the areas affected by recent flooding and high tides and the distribution of supplies to these areas, has commenced its operations.
The senior response officer for the CDC, Captain Salim October, yesterday related to this newspaper that the CDC has begun the distribution of supplies to assist persons living in areas that have been affected by the recent heavy rainfall and abnormal tides.
He said that some of the areas that have been observed by the CDC to be affected are: Silver City, Linden; Charity Squatting area and New Scheme; Jacklow; Abrams Creek; Dredge Creek; Kabakaburi, along the Pomeroon River; and Nabaclis and Golden Grove on the East Coast Demerara. Other places reported are Little Diamond, which received assistance last week, and Black Bush Polder. He noted that the areas listed are usually reported for flooding during such weather.
He added that because of the way the land is in the Pomeroon area, the water had lodged. However, he said that the water is beginning to recede and that hampers are being distributed by CDC members who are assessing the areas and keeping a close watch for signs of changes.
The Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, accompanied by several senior officers of the Ministry visited the affected communities in the Pomeroon-Supenaam area on Tuesday. According the Agriculture Ministry, the purpose of the visit was to get a firsthand look at the land.
On Monday the ministry formed a task force which comprises a number of technical officials from regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, which is tasked with reporting instances of flooding, heavy rainfall and breaches in sea defences and drainage and irrigation structures along the coast and other low-lying areas. No officials were named.
Mustapha also disclosed that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has been working with regional officials to carry out a number of works to ensure drainage channels in a number of farming communities are cleared.
He also announced plans to install a number of additional high capacity pumps to its fleet of drainage pumps and therefore develop an overall structure that will improve the country’s current drainage system.
