Unrelenting showers over the past two days have resulted in flood waters rising in the Mahaicony and Abary rivers further contributing to plight of residents in the Mahaicony/Mahaica/Abary (MMA) Development area.
The villages along the rivers have been under water for approximately five months and have seen little relief.
As of yesterday most residential yards had only a few inches or no water at all with farms and rice cultivating lands remains inundated.
Regional Vice Chairman, Rion Peters, last night told Stabroek News that water levels in the Mahaicony and Mahaica rivers remained at a high level, while it increased in the Abary River after the rains.
He noted that the Regional Democratic Council continues to monitor the situation and has been engaged in clearing away the vegetation in all the rivers. He explained that soon machinery and pontoons will be dispatched to a section of the Abary River to further clear vegetation so as to increase the flow of water.
As of yesterday, 71-year-old Rani Panday of Water Dog, Mahaicony River, related that the flood waters had receded from her yard but after intense rain over the past two days, her yard is once again covered with water.
“The water just keep coming and going. Every time it goes down, a heavy rain fall come and it raises again. It is five months we are in this and there is nothing we can do. We can’t plant, we can’t work. It is really hard for us,” the pensioner lamented.
She stated that many of the families remain dependent on their farms for survival but they are uncertain of when they can return to their farms.
The floods, she pointed out, have decimated her long-term crops and recently, a star-apple tree which has been in her family for years died after being in flood water for months.
Further, the woman stated that they will need to conduct major repairs to their fences and house posts as their structural integrity have been compromised. She said the posts supporting the fences and steps to their home have become “shaky,” an indication that they are rotting.
Over at her son’s home, she explained that the poles supporting a bridge from his home to the access road are deteriorating.
In Abary River, residents indicated that water has remained on residential lands, but it is less than an inch.
It was noted that the rainfall has been persistent and as of yesterday showers which started into the afternoon continued into the night, further contributing to the height of the water in the river.
The floods have resulted in significant losses to farmers across the MMA area and many are pondering their next move.
Many farmers were in the land preparation phase for rice cultivation, but now they report that they will no longer be able to plant for reaping before the December rainy season.
Cattle farmers in the district have also suffered tremendously as many of their cattle drowned and died due to hunger. The farmers were also forced to sell their animals below market value.
