Thousands across Guyana have been severely affected as a result of flooding, according to Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig.
Over the past several days, high tides and torrential rains coupled with overtopping rivers and creeks have left multiple communities across the country inundated with water levels, in some cases, covering the rooftops of several houses. Many families have been forced to evacuate and are presently being housed in temporary shelters or in the homes of families and friends in areas where shelters are not available.
With more rainfall expected in the coming weeks, current water levels are expected to remain the same or rise even higher. Craig stated at a press conference yesterday that the CDC has distributed over 6,000 cleaning and food hampers countrywide. Some 1,500 persons have been severely affected in Region Two, 600 in Region Three, 2,800 in Region Six and over 1,000 in both Regions Nine and Ten. Extensive assessments are yet to be conducted in regions Seven and Eight but this should start today.
Craig said that the CDC is in need of relief items such as face masks, hand sanitizers, bleach and soap powder but the current priority is cots. He said that they have approached some businesses but a supplier is yet to be recognised. However, he noted that they have reached out to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) for assistance and they have since pledged to send some 500 cots.
More than 15 days ago, Craig said that the CDC had deployed several teams across the ten administrative regions to conduct verification of flood reports and then do rapid assessments. He said this was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Drainage and
Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Regional Democratic Council, Village Councils, Community Development Councils, and municipalities.
He disclosed that an aerial assessment of regions Two, Three, and Seven, was done on Tuesday and it was revealed that the affected areas remain inundated even though the tide was at its lowest. He said that the lands are unable to drain efficiently considering that the affected areas are located within basins which were already water-logged. In these areas, he explained, poor drainage caused by the lack of maintenance along with damaged and inefficient infrastructure have exacerbated the situation. Residents in several of these communities have reported loss of crops and livestock. However, the NDIA along with other relevant agencies have dispatched teams to conduct remedial works. The situation remains the same in these regions.
In Region Two, he said, there is flooding along the coast and the Pomeroon and Supenaam rivers, while in Region Three there is flooding in Belle West, Goed Fortuin and Met-en-Meerzorg. In these areas, he said, the water recedes a little when the tide falls but rises when the sluices are closed. In Region Seven, Craig said that a number of farmlands in Kako and Jawalla are affected. Some 14 shops are under water in Devil Hole.
According to Region Seven Vice Chairman Kamal Persaud, there is no flooding in Bartica and there was a lull in rainfall over the past 24 hours. She added that Kamarang and every other community as well as gold mining areas along the Mazaruni and Cuyuni riverbanks are still under water and this will remain so for a number of days even if rain ceases.
Providing an update on the other Regions, Craig revealed that all three sub-districts in Region One are affected but a team has already begun distributing bleach to affected families even as efforts are being made to provide further support. Meanwhile, in Region Five, the situation remains largely the same. The Mahaica and Mahaicony rivers are still above normal levels with several households, livestock and farms still affected. Rosignol, Blairmont, and several other communities are all inundated while in Region Six there is major flooding across the area with Skeldon being the only area not affected. “The region is working to ensure all pumps and sluices are working. Twenty machines have been deployed to assist with drains clearing and unclogging.
Regarding Region Eight, Craig said that El Paso is still under water but the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs visited the area and distributed cleaning and food supplies. When contacted yesterday Regional Executive Officer Peter Ramotar confirmed Craig’s statement and added that the rain is still falling heavily. He said that the CDC will be in area today to assess the full extent of the situation.
Meanwhile, according to Craig, floodwaters are slowly receding in Region Nine and vehicular traffic has resumed on some of the main roads but the CDC will continue to monitor the situation. However, according to Region Nine Chairman Bryan Allicock, the rivers and creeks in the North and South Rupununi are once again rising threatening more flooding. He said a number of houses in Massara and Rewa are under water because of their proximity to the Rupununi River. However, in Central Rupununi, the situation has improved somewhat as the water is receding.
Rockstone
Kwakwani, Arima, and Rockstone, in Region Ten, are still under water while floodwaters in Mackenzie and Wismar are receding.
Craig informed that some 6,000 cleaning hampers have already been distributed to affected communities and 8,000 more are being prepared for distribution to the affected regions.
“The CDC continues to monitor the situation through the National Emergency Management System (NEMS) which conducts daily phone calls to the regional officials and responds to the many calls and messages that would come to us. We have provided technical support and volunteers have been mobilized. Moving forward, the CDC continues to work with local government agencies to ensure that timely assessments are done in keeping with the processes set out in the regional disaster management plans. We will continue to work to address key emergency concerns,” Craig said, before adding that CDEMA is on stand-by to provide support should the need arise.
Craig also assured that shelter managers are ensuring that persons are following all COVID-19 guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses in those shelters. He said that as long as houses remain inundated there will be need for shelters. Health-wise, he said there have been reports of rashes on people’s skin and other water-borne diseases in flooded areas but the medical teams are addressing those. He said that the treated mosquito nets are being distributed.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony yesterday said that the since the rains started, the ministry has had several discussions with the CDC and has provided them with appropriate guidance that will have to be implemented to prevent outbreaks of COVID-19 in shelters.
“So wherever they are establishing shelters they are making sure that these protocols are adhered to because we don’t want to bring people and put them in a relatively enclosed environment. If someone is sick with COVID then it can infect all others in the environment,” Anthony was quoted as saying.
