Great flood, 20 years after…
Residents along the East Coast Demerara who suffered massive losses from the 2005 flood that resulted from the overtopping of the East Demerara Water Conservancy still believe that it was an act of God and a reminder to the administration to get its act together in the face of climate change.
This was the view of several residents with whom Stabroek Weekend spoke during a recent visit to Mahaica, Enterprise, Buxton and Better Hope on the East Coast Demerara on the 20th anniversary of the flood.
Ismay Prince-Seenath, who sells coconut water on the Railway Embank-ment Road at Better Hope summed it up thus: “No matter if it was negligence, the overtopping of the conservancy or a breach, the record rainfalls were God’s work. The weather is now unpredictable. The last time God destroyed the world by water, and he said this around it will be by fire. I think it was a warning.”