Water released from the Region Three backlands and high tides are being blamed for the flooding in the communities of Malgre Tout, Versailles and Goed Fortuin, on the West Bank of Demerara.
Inches of water has accumulated in the yards of several residents and flooded streets in these communities as their key drainage systems are overburdened due to the excess water.
During a drive through the communities, most drains were observed to be clogged by overgrown vegetation or were too shallow to drain the water accumulated on land.
While the residents acknowledge that there is excess rainfall, they insist their flooding woes are a result of water from the backlands being released. Questioned whether the flooding is compounded by the recent removal of mangroves from the Versailles/Malgre Tout area to facilitate the construction of a shore base facility for the oil and gas sector, they responded in the negative.
“The water from the conservancy is being released slowly into the farmlands but those lands are already flooded and the drains are filled so the water has nowhere else to go so we are flooded. It is not a normal for us to flood like this but the entire drainage system is compromised and we have to suffer,” a resident who asked not to be named said.
She related that since Sunday, water has been rising in their yards and at one point was creeping into their homes.
According to another resident named Walcott, the drainage system is unable to take off all the water and with only one sluice operating, the entire system is compromised.
He suggested that if the sluices at Versailles and Malgre Tout are rehabilitated they will enhance the drainage capacity of the communities tremendously.
“Back in the days when these communities were a part of the estate you had good drainage but since they stopped desilting these outflow channels, we tend to get flood. There is too much water here in the system and the one sluice at Goed Fortuin cannot drain the whole area,” he explained before noting that the defunct sluices should be rehabilitated immediately.
Several communities in the West Demerara have been flooded due to excess rainfall and high tides.
Region 10
In Kwakwani, Region 10, water levels remained the same as of yesterday but 57 persons have moved into shelters made available by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).
The shelters were set up at Kwakwani Primary School, Kwakwani Secondary School Hostel, Aroaima Nursery School, and Hururu Community Centre and are currently being monitored by the CDC.
The community is desperately in need of food and hygiene supplies as water levels as of Monday rose to almost 14 feet.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS) announced that it has partnered with several businesses to put together food hampers and other supplies for those in need in the hardest hit communities.
A statement from MoHSSS said that it will be taking its care packages to the residents, and will also be doing its bit so far as baby/children’s hampers, care and hygiene supplies for women and girls, water, cleaning supplies and food stuff are concerned.
“To begin with, the team will be travelling to Kwakwani, one of the severely flood-affected areas in Region 10. The Ministry has partnered with AmCham (American Chamber of Guyana) to pull off these efforts, along with other organisations that have come forth to help,” the release stated adding that Persaud has expressed her deepest gratitude to AmCham and other companies that unhesitatingly contributed towards the flood relief effort.
Staff at the ministry, who have been volunteering their time to assist with the packing of hampers and distribution have said that they are excited to do so.
“This is what we do. We try to reach out and help. Being a part of this makes me feel happy. I may not actually be there doing the distribution but being here to help getting the hampers ready, I know it makes a difference and that for me alone gives me satisfaction,” Tia Gannie, a staff member at the Ministry said.
