With floodwater receding significantly from Kwakwani’s waterfront, Region 10 home owners are returning to their properties to conduct their damage assessment, Regional Councillor Elroy Adolph said.
As of yesterday a majority of the streets and homes were free of floodwater, however in low-lying areas water levels remain at least two feet high.
According to Adolph, water levels on Lamp Island, which has been one of the worst-hit areas, are at 4-7 feet.
He stated that many homes have started to clean up in the aftermath.
“A lot of homes are cleaning up now and washing down their homes. They prefer to do this instead of waiting and when the water is completely gone. What I can tell you is that none of the top flat homes … have water inside…” he said.
However, the regional councillor expressed concerns that some families might be rushing into their homes too quickly and without any assessment of their structural stability.
“These houses have been under water for weeks so I have told them to be careful when going into their homes. I told them walk with a carpenter also to check and see what damages the house got if any. We have to be very careful because we don’t know what has been compromised due to the floods,” he said.
The councillor said further that the water has been pulling off the land at a fast rate.
“We have never seen anything like this. In all the other times water would raise and go down till August but this is the first time it has raised so fast and is pulling off the land so fast. We are happy it is moving off the land quickly,” he added.
Adolph said should good weather continue, by the end of this month all the water accumulated should have left the land.
Floods in the area began in early May forcing many households to evacuate and find alternative places of abode. Some families opted for shelters while other moved in with family and friends.
Regional Chairman Deron Adams last week said health authorities are monitoring for water-borne diseases. The chairman informed that medical teams have been dispatched to flood-hit communities to monitor and evaluate the situation on the ground.
“We are seeing a lot of dead rodents now as the water is dropping. So we are monitoring for water-borne diseases and cautioning residents in their movement,” he stated.
With the severity of the floods, the Regional Councillor had previously said that several residents have signalled their intention to move to higher ground and would like to commence construction soon after the flooding. He opined that a team from the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission should visit and execute a survey to determine the best possible area for development.
