With more communities along the Cuyuni River being flooded, Regional Chairman Kenneth Williams has expressed concern about the devastation it could wreak on the region’s economy.
As of yesterday, communities such as Ekeruku and Kurutuku have accumulated high levels of water at their landings and mining camps. On Thursday, border village Eteringbang along with Devil Hole were flooded with almost six feet of water.
From pictures seen by this newspaper, boats had to be used to get to households and business entities.
Williams yesterday told Stabroek News that the regional authority is deeply concerned over the impacts of the flooding. During the massive flooding between May and June, the entire Mazaruni suffered devastation, displacing not only Indigenous families but also gold miners and workers.
According to the Chairman, this flood could further decimate the regional economy as persons will not be able to conduct mining activities for gold and diamonds.
“We have recognised that this is not the norm in these villages and landings but it will have an impact on our villages and town economy… we are praying water recedes and the rain holds up…,” he said.
Stabroek News was informed yesterday that the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has been made aware of the disaster in the region.
CDC’s spokesperson Patrice Wishart yesterday afternoon informed that a team has been deployed to the areas and assessments will begin this weekend. He stated that food, cleaning hampers, and rain boots, have also been dispatched to aid the residents there.
Wishart pointed out that is primarily occurring at the landing and surrounding dwelling locations in the affected areas.
Based on the locals’ knowledge of the geography, the flooding is a result of the high levels of water in the El Dorado River in Venezuela flowing into the Cuyuni River in Guyana.
Late July, Eteringbang also reported flooding and Williams said the water accumulated during that period did not completely leave the land.
During the last flood, the CDC had worked with regional authorities to monitor the situation and dispatched relief supplies and an assessment team to Eteringbang. Region Seven experienced severe flooding in June/July and is only now recovering. Hundreds of persons were displaced, homes flooded and livelihoods – particularly in the mining sector – disrupted.
