Residents of Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara yesterday complained of flood woes after persistent rain and were ruing their losses and the task of cleaning up.
On Tuesday, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha had instructed the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to deploy pumps to bring relief to the flooded areas.
Stabroek News visited Meten-Meer-Zorg yesterday. Many of the residents related that their homes were flooded causing damage to electrical appliances and furniture. Some persons said that their crops were destroyed and animals they were rearing either drowned or are being affected as they are in the floodwater.
At Fifth Street, Meten-Meer-Zorg, this newspaper spoke to Steve Rai, “Since Sunday night we get it [flood] up to now. GuySuCo at the back and when the water come down now it got one koker and when it shut, it can’t take off the water.” He said that there was a pump but the pump was removed. “It killing we. It killing we steady here,” the man lamented. He acknowledged that the minister had visited but said that he passed the street and the residents living in the street had to go to him.
According to Rai, the pump that the Minister said was being deployed can’t be removed after the water recedes because the flooding is a constant occurrence. In addition, the street is low and when it rains the water flows onto the street because it’s below the other streets. Rai expressed the hope that Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, visits the area and sees the damage that the road has sustained. This newspaper was unable to see the extent of the damage since it was submerged.
Another resident said that the flooding in the area affects the low-income homes because their livelihoods are disrupted and they cannot easily buy food and replace damaged furniture and appliances. The resident opined that the persons who have high houses and have money are getting help but the poor persons are not getting the help they need. The man also said that at his family’s home where he was visiting, they have suffered losses as well as damage to furniture. In addition, five of 15 ducks they had have drowned.
And according to Adriana Dey, who also lives in Fifth Street, “If the rain fall a little, it flood my bottom house. I does do a little selling like making black pudding and egg ball. I cannot sell because I have a fireside and it flooded. I cannot do anything until the water draws off.” She and another neighbour complained that they cannot cook and have been busy cleaning their homes after the water receded from some parts of their yards. The residents said that they have not received any help although the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) was seen by this newspaper, sharing out cleaning supplies in the riverain section of the community.
Regional Chairman Sheik Ayube was also present. He told Stabroek News that the pump was expected to be operational throughout the course of the day. He noted that the water had receded a lot since the initial flooding started and the koker was shut. He cautioned that having the pump does not mean that there will be no flooding but that the flood might not be to the same extent. In addition the sluice will be operational.
Meanwhile Rohani Neehaul, who was seen washing her bottom-house when this newspaper visited, related, “It was very rough ‘cause I have my goat them [and] I had to tie them cause the road flood out. I had to bring them and put them on the table.” It was also observed that water from the drains surrounding her property was still flowing into the woman’s yard. She said that she now has five turkeys after 11 of them downed in the flood waters. The goats were locked up in a pen while the turkeys were wet from being soaked by the water.
Several shops in the community were also flooded. Jean Mahadeo, a shop owner said that she had to remove items from inside of her shop after they were soaked in the water. She showed this newspaper a barrel that was soaked and the clothes that were in the barrel that had to be washed. Inside her shop the floor was covered with at least six inches of water, and products were stacked on each other to ensure they would not be damaged by the water. Mahadeo was unable to estimate the amount of losses she has suffered so far. She said she has
considered raising the shop but it would cost a lot to do so. To add to her losses, customers do not go into the shop when it is flooded.
Joycelyn Williams of Sideline Dam, Meten-Meer-Zorg, related that following the rainfall, her yard became flooded and she now has lost her crops and livestock. The woman said that she has a kitchen garden and she reared chickens which have all died due to the flood. She had also recently purchased 100 baby chickens and most of them drowned. She showed this newspaper her yard and house where she has bags of sand at the doors to prevent further flooding. Her neighbour related that he was planting crops for his personal use and they were destroyed, including plantain suckers, ochro seeds, and pumpkin vines, he had recently planted. According to the 82-year-old man, his entire yard was submerged.
The region received 3,000 cleaning hampers from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) which it delivered to the Uitvlugt/Tuschen NDC, and the Stewartville/Cornelia Ida NDC under the direction of the REO, Jagnarine Sauwack, and the Regional Chairman. According to the CDC, persons are encouraged to remain vigilant and cautious, and to report any impacts to their local authorities or the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 600-7500 or 226-1114 at any time.
