As of last evening, residents throughout Black Bush Polder (BBP), Corentyne reported to Stabroek News that while floodwater was slowly receding in the residential areas, the backlands were still heavily submerged.
Suresh Rattan, 45, a cattle and rice farmer from Yakusari, BBP, explained, that he was forced to bring out his animals from the Kokerite Savannah as the situation is presently the worse it has ever been in that area. “Dams what water never run over, a run over right now.”
The man said that he had about 60 cattle, “but me only bring out wah me find and tie them on the road corner… About 40 me na find.”
He also reported that other cattle farmers in the area would travel to the backlands every day to check on their animals. “Them boys a go in from morning, the thing really bad, it really bad… Since me get sense me never see water like this.”
According to Rattan, he would have also planted about 85 acres of rice “and me na see nothing yet.”
At Johanna, BBP, residents also reported that the water in the residential area was slowly receding but that cattle farmers are presently the most affected as the backlands remain submerged.
Seramattie Ivan of Johanna last evening said, “It going down slowly (in the residential area”, noting, that “them boys trying to bring out the cattle from the back though.”
In Mibicuri, BBP, another resident also reported that the water was receding extremely slowly in the residential area. Nathaniel Ledra noted that the water seemed to have gone down about two inches in the area. However, he added, that despite this, most of his yard remained covered still. Meanwhile, as of last evening in Lesbeholden, BBP most of the floodwater had receded in that area, which was the least affected by the flooding.
Regional Chairman, David Armogan when contacted said that pumps and machines remain working throughout Black Bush Polder in hopes of quickly draining the area.
Additionally, he said the region has been assisting residents with fuel to pump water from their yards with tractor pumps into the sideline canal.
Questioned about the situation in Kokerite Savannah, Armogan said that it was a tough situation overall as the dam in the area was dangerously affected by the flood.
However, he added that farmers who were not able to bring their animals from the area are being supplied with feed.
He also noted that two machines remain in that area working “in case that dam break away we can stop it quickly”, explaining that if there is any break in the dam then the savannah water will run into the residential area possibly returning the area to stage one of the flood again.
