Flood-hit communities in Region Five (Mahaica-West Berbice) have seen some improvement with water levels dropping but residents say it will be months before their lives return to normal.
Despite levels dropping by between 14 to 24 inches across the region, the height of the floodwaters in homes and farms remains high.
“We still cannot see ground as yet. Water dropping but there is still a lot of water on land. We cannot do nothing than to wait for it to draw off. It will be months before we get back to living normal,” Ram, a resident of Mora Point, Mahaicony River said.
At present, he explained that water has been slowly receding from the land and if the rains continue in the backdams, it is likely the height of the water will rise. “The water keeps coming from the backdams so we will have to wait some more before the water go down,” he added.
The rice farmer stated that all the families are confined to the top flats of their home patiently waiting for the water to pull away from the land. “Everything we have to do upstairs now, nobody cannot get things done downstairs because water is still on the lands.”
He also pointed out that the rice farmers have taken a decision to not plant for the next crop as it will not be feasible for them. “It is too late to plant now. We cannot even begin land preparation because you still have water in the rice fields and if you wait for that to dry up it will
be too late still,” he said, before mentioning that they have to consider what the December rainy season will be like.
Over in Mahaica River, Sugrim, a rice and cash crop farmer, explained that they too have seen floodwaters receding from land. He noted that in some highland areas they are seeing spots of land. However, he pointed out that the floods “have been terrible” for the farmers as everything has been lost and they still have to wait a few months before being able to return to their farms.
He noted that farmers are already considering cultivating cash crops to sustain themselves after the floods have receded. “Cash crop is what we depend on but we have to plant what will grow quick before we go back to planting other crops.”
Further, Sugrim related that the marketing of cattle is taking a hit as buyers are offering low prices per head. He explained that many butchers are taking advantage of the situation adding that prior to the flood a mature animal was being sold for $150,000 or higher per head, but now persons aware of the need to get the cattle out of the flooded lands are offering $100,000 or less. “Farmers are trying their best with what remain as much as we want to get them off of our hands, we cannot afford to accept nothing. We invested in feeds and injection so we expect to earn something from them.”
The man also stated that from his visits to different communities during the floods, he has observed that many are in need of financial assistance and government should step in and assist. He noted that households still have expenses such as utilities to pay and farmers still have commitments with the bank which they have to honour.
Over in the Abary River, Jeremy Sharma explained that they too have seen some improvement with the accumulated water receding.
But he pointed out that the river is still blocked by excessive vegetation and that has been hindering drainage.
“Every day is today, tomorrow, that is all we are hearing when we enquire about the excavators coming here to clear the river mouth,” he complained.
Stabroek News had reported that the excavators that are supposed to clear the vegetation and silt which has been preventing effective drainage in the Abary River in Region Five is being used to conduct similar works in the Mahaicony River and should be deployed within two weeks according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.
Residents along the Abary River have complained that it is heavily silted all the way to its mouth and this reduces its ability to drain into the Atlantic.
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) on Wednesday night had said that in the Mahaica River area, water has dropped by approximately one inch in the communities of Big Baiboo, Handsome Tree, District #10, Broken Waterhand, and De Hoop, however the water still remains high at approximately two feet.
In the Mahaicony River area water has receded by approximately 14 inches in Hyde Park, by three inches in Gordon Table and Wash Clothes, and by one inch in First Savannah. However, there is little to no change in Mortice, Esau and Jacob, Mora Point, Water Dog Creek, Pine Ground and Governors Light, which remain inundated with about 2 to 3 feet of water.
“The entire communities of Burma Housing Scheme and Moraikobai Village remain flooded with about 2 to 4 feet of water. The RDC confirmed houses and farmlands are still under water in all the affected communities,” the CDC had reported.
